[Jewels1091]

MOST IMPORTANT PART!!!

Meanwhile, the aircraft carriers USS Harry Truman and USS Theodore Roosevelt are likely to stay in the Mediterranean. Their combat aircraft would fly over Israel and Jordan in case of a war, which would shorten the distance to Baghdad, and require less support and fewer refueling missions.

While the United States is still pressing Turkey for overflight rights, there is no indication Turkey will agree. One fallout of Turkey's refusal is that some of the army's best equipment, including its newest M1A2 tanks, are stuck on ships floating off the Turkish coast and likely will not be available in a war.

THANKS ALOT NATO FRIEND!!!! And why the he** didn't Franks get those ships moved around?????????

[AntiGuv]

One fallout of Turkey's refusal is that some of the army's best equipment, including its newest M1A2 tanks, are stuck on ships floating off the Turkish coast and likely will not be available in a war.

Yep, this is the part which jumped out at me. I actually predicted such a potential development a couple weeks ago, for which I was harangued with about a dozen derisive responses...

[Maedhros]

Defcon _ ?

[CatOwner]

I know that we here on FR have been on edge about this war (or should I say the delay in its start), but think about the troops that have been stationed in the Middle East for the last several months. Amazing!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

As part of the final preparations, the United States is hastily building a desert airstrip in the United Arab Emirates to base more than 100 fighter planes that Turkey won't allow on its soil....While the United States is still pressing Turkey for overflight rights, there is no indication Turkey will agree. One fallout of Turkey's refusal is that some of the army's best equipment, including its newest M1A2 tanks, are stuck on ships floating off the Turkish coast and likely will not be available in a war.

Turkey and France: We WILL rember this treachery!

Germany, Russia, China: You're not looking to good either.

And, despite what the Traitor-In-Chief clinton said (and hoped), the USA WILL be a superior force in the world for a long, long time. And our enemies will be BEATEN AND DEFEATED.

[deport]

You can almost feel the clock ticking towards the time that this event begins to unfold in earnest.

[SamAdams76]

Oliver North reported on FoxNews tonight (Hannity & Colmes) from his "undisclosed location" in Kuwait. North says that the troops are only days and soon "hours" away from beginning their mission to remove the BREW DALL dictator. North says that he is determined to do his last broadcast on FoxNews (before heading home to the U.S.) in BAGHDAD!

Oliver North in a liberated Baghdad will be a beautiful sight.

[mhking]

Shields Up! I'm guessing we're going to "Dark Orange" Alert on either Monday or Tuesday.

It's gonna be a bumpy ride...

[Terp]

And why the he** didn't Franks get those ships moved around?????????

When did Franks become Commander and Chief? If this thing with Iraq goes wrong because of any delays the buck stops with Bush.

Terp

[Fractal Trader]

As part of the final preparations, the United States is hastily building a desert airstrip in the United Arab Emirates to base more than 100 fighter planes that Turkey won't allow on its soil.

Heard that Tommy Franks was in the UAE. Wonder is this was a coincidence? : - )

The Turks will pay greatly for their treachery. They had said all along that we could use their airbases, regardless. We may have needed the tanks for a margin of victory, but they were by no means vital to the overall victory.

Look to the post war collapse of Turkey.

[John Jamieson]

I saw a claim from a Washington area poster on a small board, that B1 bombers were already hitting targets in the SNFZ just this afternoon. Anyone else seen anything indicating that the softening up process has started?


M1A1 can be flown in, in the north. One per plane.
Plenty already in the south.

[Stopislamnow]

From experience in the first GW, and Somalia, you do not put troops on a hair trigger lightly.

First, psychological stress is a people killer, you cannot maintain such stress indefinitely.

Second, optempo rises, and everyone experiences physical stress from accelerated training to maintenance duties to guard duty, to increased flight time/crew rest issues.

Third, most of the units have moved to jump off points(according to news reports) this means mostly MRE's until everything's done due to lack of fresh food, mobile kitchens still serve the canned stuff but some of it is godawful, and being constipated(trust me) for more than a few days just sucks and lowers morale. Packing up and moving tents, latrines, etc and so on is physically demanding on everyone.

Straight up, I say Monday or Tuesday we Liberate Iraq unless Dubya blinks.

[maestro]

?.......Does SH/Iraq......NOW have ANY kinds of missiles which could carry Black-Marketed-Nukes????

(Bottom line Questions)