***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 5 - LIVE THREAD***

Everywhere! | 23 Mar 2003 | An.American.Expatriate

[null and void]

Good Morning.

This is the Daily Thread of Operation Iraqi Freedom - LIVE THREAD.

It is designed for general conversation about the events of the day. In depth discussion of events should be left to individual threads - but links to the threads or other articles is highly encouraged. This allows us to stay abreast of the situation in general, while also providing a means of obtaining specific information.

Please have mercy on us dial up limited FReepers! Limit the big graphics, post links instead. A breif description of what the graphic is would help:

To all who helped this get started, thank you!

Special thanks to An.American.Expatriate for staring the daily threads, Mo1 for the screamer, the AdminMods for their tolerance, mhking for the video links, and, of course, Belly Girl...

[gop212]

I'm already tuned in, but thanks.

[TomGuy]

Sirens in Bagdad....

[lorrainer]

Hack is on the View? Good lord! Wad he wearing his trademark "outfit?" I'll bet he fit right in.

[thedugal]

They are not complaints, they are points, and they are true. And he isn't being all negative, he said this strategy has good intentions and he is not sure if it is wrong.

The war IS being fought PC. Reporters on the carriers have been telling us that aircraft are returning with their payloads. One pilot 2 nights ago explained the reason, possible civilians in the vicinity, so they don't bomb. If we weren't as worried about civilian deaths we could win more quickly.

I think the strategy is the correct one because we MUST win the political war on the home front. There are still terrorists and Kim Jong [mentally] Il. Unless Bush comes away from this war squeaky clean [politically] then we will be in greater danger from our other enemies.

[null and void]

My apologies if this is OT for this thread, but did you guys hear that the Oscars were the lowest rated in history? *snicker*

Awwwwww, pity...

[The Wizard]

Sirens

[steveegg]

There's 2 bridges in Al Naseriah. We have one, never took the other.

[The Wizard]

Red Cross Just announced in 5 days of bombing in Bagland only 1 civilian dead and 33 small in juries.......Eat that you protest scum

[gura]

The book "Death Traps" by Belton Cooper gives you a great idea of how the war really went on the Western Front in WWII.

The individual Combat Commands for each armored division would drive as far and deep as they could each day until they could advance no more (and a good day was 15 miles), often to the point of being entirely cut off from support.

Bypassed German resistance (who now had very tenuous supply lines) were left for the following infantry and artillery.

Cooper's job was to drive between the Combat Command and the tank repair depot reporting the number and location of damaged tanks so they could be recovered, and occasionally lead formations of fresh armor up to the CC.

[Lauratealeaf]

Ma'am? Drool? Us?

Yes, traces of drool have appeared on this thread. I think I hear a lot of sighing too.

[Howlin]

What was the report Major Garrett just gave on Fox? Some organization has released "casualty" figures for civilians in Iraq and it was 32 injured and one killed? Can that be right?

[No.6]

The disadvantage of using Method One is that it takes forever to do - you're never sure if every enemy vessel in the zone has been sunk, and what about the ones sneaking in from elsewhere. The advantage is that it defeats the enemy in detail. The disadvantage of using Method Two is that you don't really control the zone - you're just denying part of it to the enemy. The advantage of Method Two is that combat power is concentrated, instead of being spread out all over the zone.

The key is wiping out any major resistance during the blitz phase. If a bunch of irregulars are behind the line after, you don't need an M1A1 to deal with them when they pop up; our regular guys can clean that up, as we saw yesterday where the 300 blacksuits attack and all perish for the cost of one bruised chest.

Bypassing an intact RG division would be silly, of course. Also you do have to eventually take your strategic objective. Once Baghdad falls the Baathists behind the lines will get booted. I don't worry about them melting into the population they tortured for decades once it's clear SH and his gang aren't coming back.

Until then I expect the regular Iraqis to be cautious and just stay out of the way. We're making it easy for them by not doing street combat where it can be avoided (which makes a real mess of things).

[steveegg]

Fox News/CNN - White House briefing at 1 pm EST (roughly 35 minutes)

[Howlin]

I was floored when I heard that! That will NOT go down well, will it?

[sissyjane]

The international red cross.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Dogs, can't potty train 'em.

I believe Gen. Franks addressed those 'pockets' at today's CENTCOM briefing: "UK, Aussie and US Spec. Ops are about their business from left to right and top to bottom...they have accomplished some wonderful things out there."

[Wphile]

Red Cross Just announced in 5 days of bombing in Bagland only 1 civilian dead and 33 small injuries.......Eat that you protest scum.

Wow. That's an amazing statistic. I'm glad we are being careful about civilian casualties but I hate the thought of losing our guys because of it.

[TexKat]

Franks Cites Progress But Sporadic Resistance/"Fedayeen" militia had been harassing the U.S. rear in southern Iraq.

[BulletBobCo]

Fox News/CNN - White House briefing at 1 pm EST (roughly 35 minutes)

Take your Helen Thomas pills and put on you eye protection!