[knighthawk]

"The United States will be defeated and it will be kicked out of the region if it attacks Iraq," Saleh said. "It will be the end of the United States in the region."

I don't want to dissapoint him by not giving him a chance to back his words up, so let's roll!

[knighthawk]

Mother of all pings-ping

[Vidalia]

Notice to the American Military from the Royal Iraqi Guard:

This time we really mean it!
Our balloons just arrived and we'll show you...

[b4its2late]

Knock yourselves out Iraq.....

[freeforall]

"It will be the end of the United States in the region."

Brilliant! Does he really think it or is he packing as we post.So little time so much to do.The clock is ticking and maybe they are more than a little nervous.

[leadhead]

Classic whistling past the grave yard.

His troops are run ragged setting up defenses after every "leak" in the New York Times.

This time he'll be gone about a minute after it all starts.

Watch your back Saddam! The enemy has already landed and started your downfall!

[Don Carlos]

the Commander of Iraq's Air Force Hamid Rija Saleh

Sounds like whistling past the cemetery to me. Or maybe its bravado, Hussein sytle.

Funny thing about Air Force assets, if they are not used daily and realistically, they are not worth a spit in the sand.

The question I'd like answered is, when was the last time one Hamid's IAF fighters made a max-performance takeoff, loaded for combat? 1991 you say, Hamid? Whoo, boy! IAF is headed east for Iran just like last time!

[snippy_about_it]

[Valin]

They are highly prepared to inflict stern punishment

OH NO!!! Not "stern punishment, anything but that.

[facedown]

Saleh said if Australia did not change its position, Baghdad would buy its wheat needs from "European, Asian and Arab countries".

European and Asian countries maybe but considering that the bulk of "Arab" wheat is grown in Turkey and Iran, not bloody likely (source).

[steve-b]

Iraq says Baghdad will resist any U.S. military campaign and will "kick the United States out of the region" if attacked.

Saddam must have heard about Clinton's promise to go into the trenches and fight in person. If Billzo were a typical example of our troops, we would have gotten kicked out of Grenada, much less Iraq.