Operation Iraqi Freedom - Day 1 - LIVE THREAD

20 March 2003 | An.American.Expatriate

[An.American.Expatriate]

This is a thread to collect all the breaking stories regarding the Libration of Iraq

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Key developments concerning Iraq -AP Breaking News
The Associated Press
(03-20) 03:33 PST (AP) -- Latest developments in the Iraq crisis: * The U.S. military opened its military campaign against Iraq, striking "targets of military opportunity" -- sites near Baghdad where Iraqi President Saddam Husse...[snip]

[Tree of Liberty]

Fox's Kuwait reporter stating that Iraq's air force consists mostly of small cesnea type aircraft. Couldn't report this before the start of hostilities because of security concerns.

[mhking]

G'mornin...

[Freedom of Speech Wins]

Why not take out Al-Jazeera?

Don't let the enemy have a voice to transmit code messages to troublemakers.

[Tree of Liberty]

Jack straw on now

[theophilusscribe]

FOX: Pentagon confirms SCUD fired as well as Chinese anti-ship missile and small aircraft:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/869811/posts

[Mr. Silverback]

Should be fun to see the Iraqis explaining away attempts to "cropdust" our troops. Maybe they wanted to be sure we didn't bring any harmful insects over the border with us?

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Explosions, air raid sirens heard in Baghdad -AP Breaking News
HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer
(03-20) 03:35 PST BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A subdued Saddam Hussein appeared on state-run television Thursday after the U.S. air strike on Baghdad, accusing the United States of a "shameful crime" and urging his people to "draw your swo...[snip]

Iraqi missile attacks gives U.S. troops their first scare -AP Breaking News
KIMBERLY HEFLING, Associated Press Writer
(03-20) 03:36 PST CAMP NEW JERSEY, Kuwait (AP) -- U.S. troops got their first real scare Thursday when Iraqi missiles streaked across the border into Kuwait, forcing the Americans to climb into protective suits and put on gas masks. ...[snip]

[An.American.Expatriate]

to UNMOVIC:

Gesendet: Donnerstag, 20. März 2003 12:38
An: 'info@unmovic.org'
Betreff: SCUD Missiles in Irak
Good Morning,

curently it is being reported that Iraq has fired at least one SCUD missile against US Forces in Kuwait.

Would Iraq's possession of SCUD Missile(s) [a banned missile system] finally constitute a material breach of the various resolutions with which Irak was supposed to comply?

Why were these not found earlier?

Best Regards

[Mr. Silverback]

Our State rep's son is an Apache driver attached to 3rd Brigade of 101st Airborne. Will see combat today if not already.

[Mr. Silverback]

No, that can't be right. The cooperative-to-a-fault Iraqi regime destroyed all the Al-Samouds and they don't have any Scuds left. Musta been a hallucination.

[Dog]

Mornin' mh.....heck of a way to greet the day.

[theophilusscribe]

I believe it is out of Qatar, not Iraq:

"From the ashes of BBC Arabic rose al-Jazeera, a satellite channel funded by the Emir of Qatar and other Arab moderates who had recognized during BBC Arabic’s short life that the long-term interests of Islam would be served best by truth rather than censorship. . . "
http://www.msnbc.com/news/643471.asp

"Taleban Foreign Ministry officials have spoken via satellite link to the al-Jazeera headquarters in the Gulf state of Qatar. "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/monitoring/media_reports/1579929.stm

Qatar is considered an ally—so bombing them would be out of the question.

[Mr. Silverback]

I'm surprised it didn't have to be shot down. IIRC, Sunburn is a nasty missile.

[An.American.Expatriate]

"Other Top Stories" from the BBC:

Main attack still to come

War draws condemnation

Oil falls as war begins

Iraq crisis hour-by-hour

Timeline: Steps to war

In pictures: War begins

[Tree of Liberty]

recapping what brought us to this point. Defenise minister will talk about last night's strikes. Talking about the months of work that went into 1284 (the resolution that was pulled on Monday). Stating that 1441 was an either/or resolution. Either Saddam disarms himself, or have it done for him by force. Saddam has triggered the latter. To the people of Iraq: we are with you and support you and want to see your suffering end. Talking about rebuilding Iraq. Tens of millions of pounds already earmarked for humanitarian aid. Working to secure a UN resolution on Iraqi aid. taking questions

[Dog]

I did hear Fox say Saddam can't speak with his own people we own the tv and radio.

He can still speak to the world tho.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

[snip]...The inspections come under a new U.N. Security Council mandate requiring Iraq to shut down any nuclear, chemical or biological weapons programs as well as any facilities to build missiles with more than the 90-mile range allowed under U.N. resolutions after the 1991 Gulf War...[snip]

FNC:  LINK

[Tree of Liberty]

the Pentagon reporter said it was very difficult to shoot down an ASM over ground, since it stays at an extremely low altitude.

[Jason Kauppinen]

So a SCUD has a range greater than 90 miles?