***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 9 - LIVE THREAD*** ^

Multiple | 28 March 2003 | Various

[An.American.Expatriate]

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...

[dogbyte12]

Tony Blair has a big pair as well. At least Bush's party is mostly supportive of him.

Blair is risking his entire future on his relationship with Bush.

[Dolphy]

You might be right about Clinton. Yet he spent 8 years considering this problem and had the Congressional authority to pursue regime change. You would think he would be well aware of the potential problems in pursuing a full scale military action. At least you would hope that it is something he would have had gamed out while evaluating his options. If he thought military action would be easy given the potential problems with Israel, the Arab streets, burning oil wells, refugees, etc. it only shows his entire lack of seriousness in facing this problem.

[Carolina]

That is the thing that pissed me off about the news critters. They really don't get that we are not doing all we can do to win, even conventionally.

Here's what Victor Davis Hanson column today:

History or Hysteria? Our vulture pundits regurgitate rumor and buzz.

When this is all over — and I expect it will be soon — besides a great moral accounting, I hope that there will deep introspection and sober public discussion about the peculiar ignorance and deductive pessimism on the part of our elites. In the meantime, all we can insist on is absolute and unconditional surrender — no peace process, no exit strategy, no U.N. votes, no Arab League parley, no EU expressions of concern, no French, no anything but our absolute victory and Saddam’s utter ruin.

[Otta B Sleepin]

I think we should lock him in a room with Neil Cavuto, who had incredibly sharp words to say today to the professor who accused him of being too patriotic. (hmmmm, wonder if it was the same guy.......??????) Let Neil straighten him out.

[Nam Vet]

Yes, I heard about the Toon trying to give himself credit for a future win against Saddam because of all his own preparation.

Nam Vet

[Miss Marple]

Dog called my attention to that yesterday. Maybe he has the article about them taking out the AQ camp.

[Timeout]

Now this is interesting, especially in light of tonight's bomb in Kuwait.

Actual transcript from the daily briefing with French Foreign Ministry, March 26th:

Q: France and Kuwait signed a mutual defense agreement at the end of the Gulf War. What impact are these dozens of Iraqi missile attacks against Kuwait having on that agreement? What is your reaction to these attacks and should the defense agreement be invoked?

A: I have nothing to add to what the spokesman said yesterday.

Q: Why can't such a simple question get an answer for a week?

A: Quite simply, if I may say so, because we have no specific, verified information about the dozens of Iraqi missile attacks against Kuwait that you refer to.

Wonder how they'll weasel out of this one.

LINK

[cactusSharp]

not exactly...in '96 Blair was all over Clinton like a chaep sink..Clinton dissed him and left Blair mumbling to himself about Iraq and terrorism and Bin Laden....Blair
left paper trails of this subject and when Dubya said"Let's Roll" in fact, Blair said future be damned let's go save the world, Dubya said, let's....

[Nam Vet]

The acting in Saddam's movies remind me of a Charlie Chaplin flick with dubbed wailing.

Nam Vet

[pitinkie]

Yes and we are dying!

[Carolina]

I get so mad when I hear someone say that GWB is "staking his presidency" on the outcome of this war.

Ah, yes, "Rummy's head's gonna roll", GWB's presidency is in "free fall." Tommy Franks has a sh**ty plan. What else?

[Miss Marple]

Well, that is VERY interesting! Especially because that French defense minister went all around the Arab world telling them that they would honor defense treaties!

[Peach]

Within these Live threads, there were links and reports from embedded journalists that they'd seen firsthand the destruction of Al Qaeda camps in Iraq.

When I search for the articles on FR, however, I come up empty.

Would a search find articles that are linked (or embedded) within a Live thread?

[Otta B Sleepin]

I'm so proud of our troops. These libs are cheating themselves out of so much with their narrowmindedness.

Here's a link to send USO packages to our troops (you donate $25 and the USO sends the package - you can enclose a note via email, too):

http://www.usocares.org/home.htm

[Peach]

What does mutual defense mean to the French who weasel out of everything? Kidding aside, I do wonder what the legal ramifications of breaking with what is probably tantamount to a treaty.

[Miss Marple]

Maybe it will mean that Kuwait won't have to sell them any oil. Heheheh.

[Peach]

How about selling them poopy smelling oil?

[EaglesUpForever]

I guess when France is attacked Kuwait doesn't need to help them... Of course France would not even ask for help anyway, they'd surrender immediately.

[Straight Vermonter]

Bob Arnot was on Imus this morning and he was great. He speaks Arabic and has been teaching the troops to say a few phrases. One of the phrases they are using when speaking to Iraqis now is, "You are my friend but if you step forward you will be my dead friend."

[Miss Marple]

Actually, I have a horrible feeling that the French will use this treaty. At the last minute, when we are about to defeat Saddam, they will announce that they are honoring their treaty with Kuwait and will land troops in Iraq. Then they will demand a piece of the post-war pie.