NBC News: Regular Army in No. Iraq Already Beginning to Surrender; Little Food, Equipment Broken

NBC News | March 16, 2003 | Fred Francis

[Timesink]

Fred Francis reporting live as I type this from Iraq's Northern Front.

Many members of the Iraqi regular army are already coming across to surrender. They report no food. Morale near zero. Everyone from the highest commanders to the lowest privates that remain are openly discussing plans to surrender en masse the moment war starts.

One commander says he has 27 tanks; only 6 work.

Francis reports that US forces expect near-ZERO military response from Iraqi forces, except from the Republican Guard around Baghdad itself. The reason: They actually think they WON in 1991 because we didn't go after them. (Even though that was by UN fiat, not a military decision.) They will fight, unless they've been shocked and awed, heh heh heh.

[toddst]

10-4 on the UK Wildcats. A pleasant diversion from this sorry situation. We hope the war ends quickly with minimum losses on both sides (other than nail Saddam and all his "close" friends.) Let's get this operation under way - now!

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I bet most of the soldiers aren't really excited to be there. It is pretty sad. I hope they have the brains to kill Saddam and Co. and save the whole country some heart ache.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

She's a weasel.

[ewing]

120K troops in three concentric rings around Baghdad plus the underground city caves.(with oil in the rivers to set fire at their leisure)

Id say about 4-5 MOAB's worth..

[areafiftyone]

Last week it was only reported in the Mirror. I think NBC News is more credible.

[gitmo]

Offsides. 10 yard penalty.

[CMailBag]

I think you verify if your hotel has Fox News on the Fox News website.

[kms61]

As discussed in another thread, he had execution squads last time too. They surrendered along with everyone else.

[Chairman_December_19th_Society]

Many members of the Iraqi regular army are already coming across to surrender.

I see the French military training worked very well.

[clintonh8r]

Yeah....zee Chiraq wude lohve to fook zee US....

[jackbill]

Is this story the latest or the same story from last week?

Last weeks story was about British troops in the south, at the Kuwait/Iraq border. It was probably true.

This latest report is from the north. It is probably true as well.

[ApesForEvolution]

Bush stated today from the Azores that France (aka 'toilet truffles') "showed/played its cards (and the UN's as well)".

[The Wizard]

let's hope they let these guys stay

[hchutch]

Guess word filtered down about 73 Easting...

Eagle Troop, 2nd ACR vs. the Tawakalna Division. H.R. McMaster took on the spearhead of the force that invaded Kuwait and kicked their ass.

[mombonn]

I continue to pray that saddam's regime will implode without us having to fire a shot.

[Jim Noble]

>>This is going to make things much more dangerous<<

Agree.

The guarantee of the territorial integrity of Iraq is a foolish overextension of the mission. I hope we don't mean it.

[George W. Bush]

Consistent with earlier reporting.

Saddam only sent the dregs of his army and equipment to the deserts. He knew they'd surrender first chance anyway, like they did in '91. He saved the food and the weapons and the effective troops for the defense of Baghdad itself.

[Grampa Dave]

It will be a regime change, and that is the goal!

[bigdog]

I continue to pray that saddam's regime will implode without us having to fire a shot.

Ok, ok, but can we drop just one MOAB?