[Paul Ross]

2. The Iraqis believe our forces around Basra are not very stout and are launching a coordinated assault at the same time as the columns coming down from Bagdhad to break the British encirclement and spread our air power thin. If this is the case, it could be Saddam's blowing his whole load on a coordinated counter- attack gamble.

Bingo. None of the timing of these events is likely coincidental. It is a go-for-broke strategy. Which raises a red flag. The real threat is that they may be attempting to get close enough to coalition forces to use their chemical weapons before they are annhilated by A-10s.

[jiggyboy]

Let's say it's a trap. What kind of trap could it be? Finish this sentence: "Ok, when the trucks are all blown to bits, the Americans are screwed, because..." A couple of guesses:

1) The road is impassable?
2) Something bio/chem in the trucks is now blowing around?
3) Basra residents ordered into the trucks at gunpoint got blown up too?
4) Now we know where the planes come from?
5) While the Americans were blowing up the trucks, we had time to [fill in the blank]

This is by no means an exhaustive list, etc.