[SengirV]

Uhhh, Basra is important. People are claiming that we should bypass Basra, bullshit. Island hopping was a valid tactic because YOU NEED BOATS/AIRPLANES to get off of an island. In Basra, they would just move and attack the rear of the push to Bagdad. It's a major city and the obvious first target since it is soo far south. The coalition has yet to take it, I think that is telling. Either they are meeting much greater resistance than expected, or they are taking it so slowly to have approx. 0 coalition losses. There are many reports of no soldiers reamining in the initial towns that were taken, and the natives were scared that the US would do what they did in '91.

It's a legit question that should not be minimized.

[goldstategop]

Nope. And we simply don't have the manpower to garrison it. We just sealed it off and in any case there's nowhere the enemy can break out to even if he wanted to.

[Valin]

In Basra, they would just move and attack the rear of the push to Bagdad.

These are non-republican guard units which means they are supplied with the cast offs of the Iraqi equipment. Which means soviet equipment from the 60s (at the latest). If they come out to fight they die. There is (or should be) a concern to what they will do to the civilians living in Basra.

[jlogajan]

People are claiming that we should bypass Basra, bullshit. Island hopping was a valid tactic because YOU NEED BOATS/AIRPLANES to get off of an island. In Basra, they would just move and attack the rear of the push to Bagdad.

Sorry, but if they stream out of Basra they will be chewed up -- they lose all their advantage. They will be in motion and therefore not dug in. They will be away from civilian cover. They aren't coming out. It would be suicide.

[AFPhys]

Uhhh, Basra is important... coalition has yet to take it, I think that is telling... they are taking it so slowly... It's a legit question that should not be minimized.

BS

BTW - which War College did you graduate from?

[Travis McGee]

You are dead wrong, and very naive. Basra IS an island today, for all intents and purposes. An Iraqi military unit can no more break out of it and threaten coalition forces elsewhere than Japanese could swim from island to island.

Remember the "Highway of Death?"