SADDAM'S DEADLY PLAN

Sky News ^ | 03-20-03 | Sky News

[Beck_isright]

SADDAM'S DEADLY PLAN

Saddam Hussein has turned Baghdad into a "hornets' nest" ready for a bloody showdown with British and American troops, US officials said.

The Iraqi capital is expected to witness the most fierce fighting if war breaks out.

Saddam's generals are expected to try to drag invading forces into a messy urban conflict in the city.

Military experts say urban warfare gives Iraq its best chance of inflicting a high number of casualties and causing a stalemate which would save it from defeat.

Major General Dan Leaf, the chief US Air Force officer in the headquarters of the allied land command, said:

* Baghdad has been ringed with air defences more formidable than the 1991 Gulf War.

* Almost all Iraq's heavy weaponry has been pulled back to Baghdad to protect the capital.

* Baghdad is packed with surface-to-air missiles, heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft artillery.

* Trenches surrounding the city have been filled with oil ready to be set ablaze to hamper British and US air strikes.

* Clusters of anti-aircraft artillery have also been deployed along possible attack routes for cruise missiles.

"It is a hornet's nest right now. There is nothing subtle about it," General Leaf told the New York Times.

"The volume of it is significant. They will be able to put a lot of missiles and a lot of bullets in the air and that will make Baghdad a very tough problem."

Saddam has several Soviet-designed missile systems, some of which he has been upgraded and put into strategic positions, said General Leaf.

"If you put enough lead in the air somebody is going to get hit if they are at the altitudes that those bullets can reach. That's a robust air defence system," he added.

Last Updated: 18:25 UK, Monday March 17, 2003

[freedom9]

Just send in J. Reno

[JoJo Gunn]

What's ahead is the Great Unknown, something the vomit fetishists can never understand. I've had scenarios dance through my heads as well, but I accept whatever may come. The bigger unknown is in doing nothing.

(Whatever happens, our boys and girls are the absolute best, and they have my respect. Just had to throw that in).

[JoJo Gunn]

NBC = nuclear, biological, and/or chemical.

[CrimeOf73]

Yes I was thinking the same thing. Just name a new capital and cordon off Baghdad. Then we start rebuilding the rest of the country and bring it into the 21st century.

[jnarcus]

Where in hell do you come up with 50,000 "hardcore" troops ANYWHERE in Iraq. These guys haven't got anything close to that number that will stand by their man...you are to antsy

[forcereconmarine]

very heavy thought, bravo, may God Bless You!

[Stefan Stackhouse]

The Iraqi forces in and near Bagdad are not going to be able to surrender until our own forces are very close to them -- Saddam loyalists will otherwise just kill them. Part of our plan must therefore be to safely move large units of ours to the outskirts of Bagdad and then give as many Iraqis as possible an opportunity to safely surrender.

[kabar]

Please, let us revel in the victories, but remember what awaits us. Probably 50-75,000 hardcore troops.

If that many troops mass in Baghdad, it will become a Turkey shoot. Our firepower and control of the air coupled with superior command and control will inflict tremendous losses on the Iraqis. House to house fighting will more than likely not be necessary. A few Apaches can make some house calls.

[happygrl]

Praying without ceasing here.

[Fury]

Imagine 200,000 people infected with the Plague...

As did happen in Athens with the Spartans at the city walls...

[GYPSY286]

I tend to agree with your analysis - especially since I saw on the first night of the war, the Iraqi statement on Iraqi tv that the infidels will witness an inferno.

[jae471]

Catapulting corpses infected with the plague was a common tactic during sieges in the middle ages... Bio warfare goes back along way...

[SauronOfMordor]

Imagine 200,000 people infected with the Plague while we're going house to house dealing with snipers and suicide bombers inside Baghdad. This does pose an interesting problem. I have no suggestions.

Why do we need Baghdad? We don't.

Once we have the oil fields, the pipelines, and the ports, we can just tell the residents of Baghdad "Come on out, we're having a Texas chili cookoff! We've also got burgers and buffalo wings".

Then after all the civilians have left, we level Baghdad and pour salt on the earth

[astounded]

I hate to say it, but that has been my underlying fear, too. This early apparent ease could indeed be a trap - of the US military. If hussein has a nuke, he would certainly use it when Baghdad is surrounded by US troops. This would devastate the US military, leaving us wide open to worldwide retribution and attacks by China against Taiwan, N Korea on S Korea, even Russia through Eastern Europe, and the overrunning of our troops in Afghanistan assisted by Iran. None of this is probable, but it does seem possible. I am sure the US planners have taken such a potential into consideration.

[honway]

Saddam Hussein has turned Baghdad into a "hornets' nest" ready for a bloody showdown with British and American troops, US officials said.

I am hoping the flashbacks of my history course covering the Battle of Stalingrad are completely unjustified, from a military strategy perspective. In case anyone mistakes the intent of the comment, I am not comparing armies, I am comparing possible strategies. I pray for the continued success of our armed forces and hope that the rest of the war goes as well as it has so far.

[SauronOfMordor]

All kidding aside, an effective way to draw friendly forces into a classic, street to street siege would be Iraqi forces to imbed themselves in Baghdad and begin a horrific campaign against the citizens of Iraq. In this case, it would not go over well to circle the city and pick them off slowly from the air, while they slaughter the people we are there to liberate.

Simple solution if the Sadaamites try atrocities against the civilian population of Baghdad. First, locate among the Iraqi POWs all who have family in Baghdad. We'd want them near Baghdad anyway to help talk people into coming out peacefully. If atrocities start, and the POW's families are in danger, give them back their arms, and tell them go protect your families

[expatpat]

I don't see why not. We can set up local government around the rest of the country and get on with it, and jusst wait them out. There'll be a rebellion inside Baghdad quite soon.

In any event, I don't believe the US is going to do the stupid thing, with house-to-house battles, like Stalingrad.

[Coop]

for now, prudence is called for ... especially with a lunatic like Saddam who has turned chemical weapons loose many times ...

I agree wholeheartedly. I think way too many people are prematurely celebrating just because our troops have met little resistance. That doesn't mean more isn't waiting in the wings.

[San Jacinto]

* Baghdad has been ringed with air defences more formidable than the 1991 Gulf War. * Almost all Iraq's heavy weaponry has been pulled back to Baghdad to protect the capital. * Baghdad is packed with surface-to-air missiles, heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft artillery. * Trenches surrounding the city have been filled with oil ready to be set ablaze to hamper British and US air strikes. * Clusters of anti-aircraft artillery have also been deployed along possible attack routes for cruise missiles. "It is a hornet's nest right now. There is nothing subtle about it," General Leaf told the New York Times.

About 45 minutes from right now, all that is going to change.

[samuel_adams_us]

This is not that hard to deal with, they are all in one big cluster so you just take your time and pick them all off one at a time. No need to hurry.