[edwin hubble]

" Allowing tactical movements like this, if we're going ahead anyway, can only cost American lives."

Yes, they may achieve a tactical advantage in the short run ...at the beginning.

But..

It may well be that the targets of our attack aircraft may be "troops in the open" versus a deeply dug-in defensive ring around Baghdad.

We are going to take over this country. Racing across open desert to a fortified city may not be preferable to taking out units isolated in the south.

We will see.

[SJackson]

Yes, they may achieve a tactical advantage in the short run ...at the beginning...But... It may well be that the targets of our attack aircraft may be "troops in the open" versus a deeply dug-in defensive ring around Baghdad.

Assuming you're right that We are going to take over this country, and I think you are, I just hope we're not letting him deploy while we're pursuing a seeming hopeless diplomatic route. There's no question as to the final result, but I don't want to see him gain even small tactical advantages which will cost American lives.

I say that recognizing I don't have the information to determine if that's a real risk.