CNN reports that Iraqi column of vehicles leaving Basra have been mostly destroyed.

CNN news

[jacksonstate]

Nothing follows

[Yankee]

Did you see the thread on Ritter, where he said we would lose this war??!? LOL!

Yes I did.

If that is not an ironclad guarantee that we'll win, I don't know what is.

Ritter doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

Here's hoping Scotty takes one in the head for the team, at some point.

[tm22721]

CNN Breaking News! Iraqi column hit hard by British troups Women and children hardest hit!

My, my, aren't we cynical.

BUMP

[Dog Gone]

Could they have been planning to try to cross over into Iran?

If there are any survivors, perhaps we can ask them. I can't find any bridges on that road across into Iran, and there's no way they could cross the waterway without one.

Nor would the Iranians be glad to see them.

It is difficult, though, to come up with any reason why they would leave Basra in that direction. It's one of the dumbest military moves since Pickett's Charge.

[Maringa]

One possibility why these guys may have made this stupid move...they have Al Jazeera (sp?) reporters ready to take photo's of the massacre to be transmitted to the muslime and Euro world. If these guys are willing to die for a photo-op, then they are definitely crazy...however the photo's can significantly appeal to the world that we are madmen....and further stir up the anger in our enemies...Just multiply the anger we feel about our executed POW's and multiply that by 1000...

[hobbes1]

The reports of these columns were what prompted my original Question.

Nothing like a long stringy looking group of targets, to make an AC-130 feel useful.....One down each side would be even better.....

Imagine the look on the nitwits faces at the point of convergence.....

[Redcloak]

In this case, "mostly dead" doesn't necessarily mean "slightly alive".

Have fun storming the castle...

[TheAbbodad]

Sounds like the convoy of RepublicLemmings didn't make it very far.

[kaktuskid]

I prefer his real name "Saddam Hussein Il-Tikrit" or his initials....S.H.*.T.!!!

[southernnorthcarolina]

Well, hell, everyone's speculating, so I will too -- not that I have any expertise on the subject.

My guess is that the move south, under the cover of darkness and the sandstorm, was an attempt to reach an engagement with our ground forces in the hopes that once they met us on the ground, we'd be more reluctant to use air support for fear of "friendly fire" incidents. Possibly they were further hoping that the sandstorm would continue another day, further "levelling the playing field."

A desperate move, even if the weather had cooperated; doomed utterly when the weather improved. The fact that they took this gamble speaks volumes.

[wardaddy]

LOL...I know it's not really funny...but it pleases me...more of their guys die...less left to kill ours.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Does the sandstorm also inhibit their use of chemical weapons?

[Southack]

See #45!

[Goldsters]

"I keep waiting to hear that it was all a trick, somehow. Maybe they filled the trucks with children or troops who wanted to surrender."

My thoughts exactly. Every time anything like this happens, my first thought is what are they up to?

These people have no limit to how low they will stoop for even the most fleeting gain. They know they can't beat us militarily, and will use all the propaganda they can muster to pressure us politically.

[wideawake]

But you need to go south to cross the Euphrates most conveniently, I think?

[Shermy]

Do you think the head of the command and control is so damaged, that the generals thought we would fight them in hand-to-hand combat?

I've seen Jazeera clips. there's a program on cable with news clips from various Arab stations. They are blasting the line from CNN that there are "great" victories. One popular myth repeated is the old farmer who shot down a helicopter with an old rifle.

I imagine the Arab radio says much the same. This prideful reporting might be encouraging wild and stupid resistance.

I doubt BBC or VOA is doing anything to counter the propaganda.

[Maringa]

I wonder if our military has clean-up crews for such massacres so that they don't provide fuel to the already negative media...

[LdSentinal]

Senator Tom Daschle (D) after hearing of the news . . .

I am deeply saddened that this Iraqi column was destroyed.

[aruanan]

CNN reports that Iraqi column of vehicles leaving Basra have been mostly destroyed.

Nothing follows

Yeah, I guess not. Ha ha ha.

[mel]

Yes, you are right, something is fishy here. This is too weird.

[Yankee]

It is difficult, though, to come up with any reason why they would leave Basra in that direction. It's one of the dumbest military moves since Pickett's Charge.

I've been thinking of that exchange between Lee and Pickett after the charge in the film "Gettysburgh".

Lee: "General Pickett, you had better look after your division.".

Pickett: "General Lee, I have no division.".