***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...

[TexKat]

Rick's going to be picking sand out of his nose for 6 months after he gets home, so I doubt the beach is high on the vacation planner either.

Just so long as he gets back home. I was listening to him this morning, he has been through several battles trying to make it to Baghdad. Someone asked him this morning would he do it again and he replied yes. He has done a great job.

[ztiworoh]

Pretty sure it's not over, just in a temporary lull befor eit picks up again, and the real storm hadnt even begun yet

[Ramius]

BIG FAT BED

How come every post you make has references to ... oh... nevermind. ;-)

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

(Rick Leventhal again: )"We know there are enemy forces ahead....light arms fire...we're engaging enemy forces ahead....Cap. continues to scan horizon...looking for possible threats ahead...try to smoke out the enemy if they're out there, engage them...the terrain..it's gotten a little more green, almost farm like...most of this country looks like the surface of the moon...we're up probably 4 or 5 am every day...sleep outside vehicle, or in vehicle...baby wipe "shower"...then off again...never really get clean...meals on the run...you do take cat naps...noise you're hearing is the turret...it's a hydraulic sound...it's a constant hum as they continue to scan...it's a necessary evil, that noise, there's a gunner on the left side, a commander on the right....can do a complete 360 as the vehicle remains steady...the gun..25 mm Bushmaster (something)..range of 2000 meters...targets I can't even see, but they can see...we saw some motorcycles abandoned at the side of the road this morning....occasionally the Iraqis will use those for quick strikes...terrain is bumpy...LAV's great...one just got stuck in the mud...another can tow him out in minutes...can go up to 70 mph...that doesn't happen...mostly creep along...close to snail's pace...resupplying...there's a "supply train"..series of vehicles...fuel trucks, trucks carrying water, MREs., supply train moves forward when the convoy stops...we're seeing several Marines leave one of their LAVs and start walking across the sand toward what may be a target off in the distance...."

[juzcuz]

I wonder if he has contemplated hand to hand combat in a chem suit.....

[Tree of Liberty]

We have VERY high resolution satellites, and the closer to the ground the camera, the higher the resolution.

[spectr17]

You slimey tardy infidel. Roll out that prayer mat.

[SoldiersGirl]

I was wondering today how much these embedded reporters are getting paid...and what their first thought was when they were asked to go into battle with these guys and have to do live reports from the middle of a firefight.

[SoldiersGirl]

hahahahaha

How come you see something in every comment I make...*wink*

[oceanview]

i wish batchelor and alexander would take phone calls, they never challenge their guests on anything, like this Aziz claim.

[Dolphy]

Leventhal amazes me. You can hear the weariness in his voice, sometimes the apprehension, and the fog as he sees the terrain change to green after the hours and hours of sand that had him feeling like he was on the moon. All of the reporters I have heard seem good, but he is one of the best.

[Jackie-O]

I wonder what some of these reporters thought would happen when they took these assignments? (Pulitzer Prize) I was having a discussion with one of my co-workers today about the pace of the war and our expectaions vs. others. We don't seem to be shocked that we are seeing resistance and suffering casualties. While we are very much saddened, we are realistic in our expectations and are remaining patient.
Most of all we stand by our President, our Country, and our courageous Troops.
With that I will say Good Night All!
God Bless our Troops and their Families!

[SoldiersGirl]

Is BRG and Mike TCG still at Umm Qasr?
I actually mowed the lawn and trimmed the hedges today...trying to get away from the news a bit, so I've missed a lot.

[Tree of Liberty]

I imagine it's more how the artillery personnel handle the shells. There's probably a very different protocol in dealing with CW compared to HE, so not to expose themselves.

[ztiworoh]

Have we heard anything from Ollie North today?

[Jackie-O]

That's the second time I heard that today. Who gave the orders? I just heard that said on MSNBC but no one says who is giving that order. How do they know that the order was given?

[SoldiersGirl]

I'm sure Rick will turn into combatant right quick if his life is depending on it...

[Consort]

Rick Leventhal said there are three guys in dark clothing lurking out there. My guess is Johnny Cash, Zorro, and Father Guido Sarducci.

[Tree of Liberty]

Not since very early this morning, PST.

[Tree of Liberty]

Agreed. That's probably why he didn't want to answer the question. The libs would be shouting "journalistic ingegrity!" if he admitted he'd throw lead.