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:
Special thanks to null and void for keeping these running on the weekend, to all of you for keeping these threads alive, the AdminMods for their tolerance, mhking for the video links, and, of course, Belly Girl...
Im sorry, but I cant read about this General without seeing Mel Gibson in a kilt
Thanks.
I'm bumping the Belly Girl!
I bumped Ann Coulter yesterday.
Pentagon Briefing:
SOD Rumsfeld:
"The 173rd Airborne has been deploying in the N....each day more coalition forces ...enter Iraq...more Iraqi regulars surrender...
"I urge the Iraqi people being threatened in the cities...to try to remember the faces and names of the death squads...the time will come (justice will be done, they report back to Saddam's family)...
"If their wish is to die for Saddam Hussein, they will be accomadated."
"As the regime deploys death squads, we are working hard to (save Iraqi lives)."
Re. the need to kill in #s and raise cities to win: "It is precisely because of our overwhelming power (and accuracy) ...that we believe we can (win this war and spare lives)."
"We do not need to kill (thousands) of innocent Iraqis to remove Saddam Hussein from power."
"To th officials to the Iraqi regime. Your defeat is inevitable...you will be held accountable..." Geneva Convention
"To Syria...these deliveries pose a threat to the lives of coaltion forces ...we consider them hostile acts..."
Any corp not under the direction of Gen. Franks we will consider a threat." Including Bader corp (sp) - Iranians...all found in Iraq will be considered (enemies)
Gen. Myers:
"We flew almost 1000 sorties yesterday - mostly against regime, C&C,...
Fired almsot 650 Tomahawks and 6000 guided missiles...so far...
"We will engage them w/ the full weight of our combat forces at the time and place of our choosing."
Videos:
Enemy troops fighting mortars at Sp. Ops in W. Iraq - boom!
Hellfire missile fired by Predator at commun. (sat. dish) - nr. Ministry Bldg.
Pics:
Tank on transporter, armored personnel carriers, on residential street and hidden in trees.
Questions:
GM: "We do have some indications that some of the RG units are relocating.." "The RG has not gone on the offense, yet." "They are dug in...dispersed." 'It doesn't make any difference. The outcome is (certain)."
SODR: "I've seen a lot of headlines that don't fit articles." Re. Wallace...He also said we're exactly where we're supposed to be. It seems to me, a careful reading of Amnesty Int'l ...record of Saddam using chem weapons on his own people....
SODR: "We're one week into this. It seems to me that it's a bit early for history to be written, one would think. The ar plan is Tom Frank's war plan...it's been through...(Nat. Sec., etc., etc., etc.) "The military officers who have reviewed it have all said taht it was an excellent plan." Indeed, "the adjectives go beyond that."
GM: "I stand by this plan. I'll give you a definitive statement. I think it's a brilliant plan."
GM: "In 36 hours we're on the outskirts of Baghdad....it's a much different objective (than Afghanistan)..
Reporter: "Why did you want to be on the outskirts of Baghdad so quickly?" GM: "Because we could." Smiles.
Won't go into the "why" yet...would give away operational details.
GM: "The attacks on the lines of our communications on our forces have not been significant....unless it's close to a major population hub...but it's been dealt with quickly.."
SODR: "My recognition is, not there was only onesies and twosies, we know (there are thousands, but that the attacks have been small...sorry too fast!)
SODR: .."It's not surprising that people are cautious." The people enriched and aiding Saddam won't like us there. The oppressed will.
Re. Saddam's status. SODR: "Everyone has a different opinion."
Re. casualties, gee, we killed more than are wounded. SODR: "No one in this government, here or on the ground, is going to underreport what's happening...that's outrageous.."
GM: "There could be some lag time." (between battles and reporting)
SODR: "I know no one in Wash. who has said anything to (Wallace)." Commanders don't get guidance, official rules ...no coordinated story..."People see what they see and say what they say." "Their task is to do what they've been asked by Gen. Franks to do. That's to fight a land war."
Re. humanitarian efforts: SODR: "We have not seen any accurate reports or intelligence that suggest that there is a humanitarian crisis in Iraq." "There's no question there are people who are hungry..and need water." Reporters have made claims. "We also know the Iraqi people overall have something like 2-6 weeks of food...the likelihood that they would run out seems not to be great." "Sir Galahad has arrived....2-300 tons of food...and other major efforts...
SODR: "The conflict has to be pursued. It's going to end with Saddam Hussein losing." Hope for the least loss of life..
Re. Syria and Iran, is it "You're with us our against us.": SODR: "The message is that Gen. Franks has forces in that country. Some are losing their lives. We don't like coalition forces losing their lives. We don't want neighboring countries to be in their (helping to kill our guys)." "We have to consider it a hostile act." "We've seen "Bader Corp moving into Iraq...they're armed." "With the extent they interfere...they would have to be considered combatants."
Re. Iraqi public opinion: SODR: "No, I didn't say it wasn't important. I said it wasn't knowable...there are people all across the spectrum...we have people right in there now, they're embedded...we have no intention of occupying their country...they might even feel a little different if death squads aren't standing next to them with guns to their heads." "We don't have Gallup polls going on in there." "My guess it will vary from city to city....it doesn't mean we're not interested...it means it's not knowable. .."I suspect it tends to change the closer we get to Baghdad."
SODR: "The issue is that Gen. Franks and the coaltion forces are busy. They have a complex task. We'd prefer (it not be made more complicated by the neighbors)." Re. Syria and Iran.
I'll be darned Michael Ledeen said Iran would unleash terrorist's in Iraq to slow us down..
I woke up this morning to a Brit general with a thick Scottish accent giving a briefing. When I saw the first reference to "Gen. William Wallace," I thought Freepers had given him a nickname.
I'm sorry people but this press confernece has made me lose all respect for the mentaly reatrded. It was a noble effort to get them jobs as members of the media but their questions at the breifings are just a waste of time.
Well at least no one accused them of shooting that bus with the syrians on it intentionally... yet