The Deal with the Republican Guard

AR Action Report on line ^ | 04/15/03 | Walid Rabbah

[bert]

Interesting piece to add to the discussion. The Agreement is as I have believed since before day 1. The sucess of the Mansour raid is still to be determined.

[7thson]

I heard Col. Hunt say something along this line to O'Reilly the other night.

[vbmoneyspender]

A Final Word: This information was leaked by American sources. Nevertheless, it should be more than 75 percent true because it originated with political and not military personnel.

Nice disclaimer.

[Mister Baredog]

I heard Col Hunt on FOX last night say we paid out close to $100 million to some of their military leaders to lay down their arms. Cheap at twice the price! War in the 21st century involves many things. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

[Grampa Dave]

If true, it was a great investment.

Then maybe the same thing will work in Syria and Iran without our troops besides Spec Ops being in those countries.

[JohnGalt]

While it sounds like a sexy story, I am not sure David Irving's Middle East sources are 'rock solid.' He was trumpeting that Brisith reporter who was denying that the US had taken the airport a few weeks ago.

[MEG33]

It works for me.

[Semper Paratus]

None of the leadership was saved from that attack except Muhammad Sa`id as-Sahhaf, the Information Minister, whose whereabouts are still unknown.

If true than old BB was the sharpist knife in the Baathist draw.

[NativeNewYorker]

The philosophical subtext here is that **betrayal** led to Saddam's defeat, not coalition military skill or the rot at the core of the Iraq regime.

From a propaganda perspective this feeds into Arab self-delisions about their inherent abilities and need for moral purity.

[VRWC_minion]

Two thoughts.

If this is all true then the disclosure of WMD might be a contingent part of the deal and parties on both sides are waiting for full compliance before disclosing.

Second, I guess will not be able to use the "human shield" trojan horse again soon. (Any chance the shields in Israel are maybe agents ? )

[sarasota]

Believe he also said he is convinced that saddam is dead.

[VRWC_minion]

The philosophical subtext here is that **betrayal** led to Saddam's defeat, not coalition military skill or the rot at the core of the Iraq regime.

Except if you scratch a little deeper its obvious the "betrayal" was only necessary because of certain defeat.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Is this from DEBKA?

[Gefreiter]

NN Yorker,
Yup. This is the core around which an Arabic "dolchstoss" myth might form, as with the post-WW1 Germans. Not beaten in battle, but betrayed by wicked leaders.

[NativeNewYorker]

Of course. But that is WAAAAY too subtle a point for these philosophical simpletons.

[JohnGalt]

This is little more than David Irving, a man with his own agenda, promoting a 'stabbed in the back' theory. He calls von Stauffenberg a traitor, for goodness sake.

[RetiredArmy]

I won't believe this till Baghdad Bob reports it so!

[ovrtaxt]

From a propaganda perspective this feeds into Arab self-delisions about their inherent abilities and need for moral purity.

Yeah, I thought the comments about the Rep. Guard causing a 'living hell' for the US military were a bit over the top. The battles that did take place were a turkey shoot. ( No offense to Turks...)

[AlaninSA]

I stopped reading this agreement when I saw the error listing that an Apache or two would transport Republican Guard leaders away.

Only two seats in that ride, kids.

[wideawake]

Thank you for your excellent observation.

This story's implicit stance is that the "valiant Arab forces" would have defeated the US Army and Marines, but that they were sold out by venal bosses.

We know that in reality committed Iraqi commanders were losing hundreds of soldiers a day to desertion.