Posted on 08/08/2002 2:26:55 AM PDT by kattracks
WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Iraqi President Saddam Hussein plans to avoid open desert fighting and mass his forces in major cities in case of a U.S. invasion, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday. The strategy was outlined in general terms to Iraqi regional officials, unnamed current and former U.S. intelligence officials told the newspaper. The statements were relayed from Iraq to U.S. intelligence operatives through Iraqi defectors and opposition groups. "Hussein's comments on a defensive strategy represent the first indication of how he intends to respond to any U.S. attack. A former U.S. intelligence official said he was told of Hussein's comments during recent meetings with Iraqi dissidents and opposition groups in London. A U.S. defense intelligence official said American intelligence has collected similar information and considers it reliable," the Times reported. Saddam's strategy appears to center on drawing U.S. forces into Baghdad and other cities, where his equipment and troops would be surrounded by civilians and less exposed to United States warplanes, which played a major part in the Gulf War. "Military targets in Baghdad are sprinkled among a population approaching 5 million. Hussein has constructed an elaborate warren of underground bunkers and escape routes," the Times reported. President George W. Bush and his national security team were briefed on several options on Monday by Gen. Tommy Franks, head of U.S. Central Command. Among those options was a plan in which the United States would strike Baghdad first in an attempt to separate Iraq's military forces and equipment and cause a collapse of the regime, the newspaper said. Experts told the Times it was difficult to assess how long it would take for U.S. forces to seize Baghdad, partly because of questions about the potential performance and loyalty of Saddam's elite troops and intelligence agencies. President Bush promised on Wednesday to be "patient and deliberate" in considering options concerning Iraq but signaled that the United States remained committed to toppling a dictator accused of developing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorism. "These are real threats, and we owe it to our children to deal with these threats," Bush said in a speech at Madison Central High School in Madison, Mississippi. In Baghdad on Thursday, Saddam said he was not frightened by U.S. threats and his country was ready to repel any attack. "There is no other choice for those who use threat and aggression but to be repelled even if they were to bring harm to their targets," Saddam said in a 22-minute taped televised speech to the nation. "I say it in such clear terms so that no weakling should imagine that when we ignore responding to ill talk, then this means that we are frightened by the impudent threats ... and so that no greedy tyrant should be misled into an action the consequences of which are beyond their calculations," he said. ((Americas Desk, Washington, 202-789-8015))08 AUG 2002 08:39:11 Saddam plans urban campaign if U.S. attacks-LA Times
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I don't think even the Iraqis believe that. Only their propaganda puppets here. And those people who parrot that absurd claim are partially responsible for those deaths. They're responsible by enabling Saddam to believe that he has enough supporters here to make his "I'm starving my people while building palaces and it's your fault" policy a success. Stavka2 appears to be one of those people.
They've certainly demonstrated that they don't distinguish between combatants and civilians. This is a diabolically clever move on Sadam's part.
The likelihood of them being effective at little more than firmly aligning the whole world, except radical Arabs, behind our campaign.
If the civilians of Baghdad and other cities are stupid enough to stick around they deserve to get blown away. Besides, they are the ones that let him stay in control.
What are we going to do if we kick the door in and then get bogged down? What if Saddam unleashes a bio-weapons attack on a US city while we are encircling one of his?
There aren't any easy answers. Your enemy will always seek to attack you where you are most vulnerable. If this were easy, Saddam would already be gone.
unfortunately we feel the need to fight wars the western way with a bunch of thugs with no honor. the unspoken word is that there will be a civilian militia that we will have to go after. in doing so civilian clothed iraqis will die and sodom will play this pr all that he can.
if we were like them, we would simply bomb the cities with all of our might.
let's roll
72 hours of carpet bombing and Saddam surrenders.
Carpet bombing? No way, Jose! Very bad PR. The army will risk another Mogadishu before that happens.
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