*** Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 15 - Live Thread ***

Multiple ^ | April 3rd, 2003 | Various

[oceanperch]

UH Oh Smiling Children.



LOL

[Carolina]

Question from Helen wannabe: Are you concerned that this is a trap? More details about the palace raid? Did you find anyone there? What was the reception?

Brooks: Defending work was from outside the complex. Found no leaders. We'll see what's inside B-dad. As regime expends in other areas, we take them into consideration. Planning is ongoing process.

[Catspaw]

Now the Blackhawk question. Investigation on-going.

[Green]

Brooks said they don't believe the Black Hawk was downed as a result of hostile fire but the investigation is still ongoing.

[Carolina]

Brooks: Dig for the facts first (you tell 'em, Vince). Investigation going on. Don't think it was hostile fire.

[Catspaw]

I'm a charter member of the Brigadier General Vincent Brooks fan club.

Now talking about the Iraqis attacking Shiite targets.

[GAGOPSWEEPTOVICTORY]

Commies from the BBC -- unexplained explosion question, alleged plot to place bombs in Shiite area. What are you getting at here? You are suggesting the Iraqis are bombing their own capital.

We have a mosiac of information. Fights outside of Shiite mosques.. bridges to shiite areas rigged. explosions by mosque. command posts near mosques, schools, hospitals. Pushing people in front of soldiers. Pattern that emerges, which indicates what might happen. (Hinting at Shiite market bombings).

[Carolina]

Beeb question: Explosion in civilian area shown yesterday. What are you getting at? What are you suggesting that Iraqis are setting us up the bomb?

Brooks: Bombs on bridges, fighting in mosques, variety of pieces of evidence, using schools, hospitals...regime pushing people out in front to catch fire...Pattern emerges...no apparent connection to coalition action. Draw your own conclusion, we have our own.

[Cboldt]

My concern is that it has been way too easy.

This has not been "easy" by any stretch. Low number of casualties for coalition forces? Yes. Rapid advance? Yes. But not easy. This has been and continues to be a hard, dangerous and stressful mission. Professionals can make extraordinarily difficult tasks appear simple and easy. The finished Golden Gate bridge is elegant, and looks simple; as is the Hoover Dam, etc. But planning and erecting them was anything but.

Pray for our leaders and soldiers to continue to have clarity of mind and God's steadying hand on the conduct of their actions.

I worry that these Iraqi bad guys have enough American uniforms that they are hiding in town and then will attack our guys from within OR Sadam has the whole town wired to blow up thinking he can blame the US once it implodes.

I believe CENTCOM has lots of HumInt (on the ground and in the city intelligence, gathered and transmitted by people) about the conditions "in Baghdad." Advances will be incremental in nature; and as with the complete war effort, made to look easier than they actually are. No doubt, the Special Republican Guard and Saddam loyalists will put up a fight, the degree of fight remaining is not known. No doubt they will use dirty tricks, civilians as shields, blowing up their civilians, fighting from shrines, etc. CENTCOM has demonstrated its ability to adapt to tactics.

I understand the concern about a possible nuke in the city. That concern is in the back of my mind too. But we have been trying to get to certain people in Iraq (scientists, etc.), have probably been successful in that effort, and have also been pretty good at pinpoint efforts to mitigate risks before we move a mass of forces forward.

[pitinkie]

Can you explain how to so that with real player?

[Green]

Only an idiotic fool would not wonder why it always happens to be Shiites that we are accidentally hitting. It is no secret that Saddam does not care at all for the Shiites. Notice there has been no "accidental bombings" on the Sunnies (sp?).

[Catspaw]

Q about whether we're arming Shiites. General Brooks deflects nicely, kind of like a well-done pump fake.

[Carolina]

I'm a charter member of the Brigadier General Vincent Brooks fan club.

Hey, I wanna join!

[GAGOPSWEEPTOVICTORY]

Radio media memeber, asking if tanks were transported through Turkey.

Brooks deflects the question, refuses to answer how they got there for operational security reasons.

Premature to talk about what found in terrorist camp.

[oceanperch]

bump!

[GAGOPSWEEPTOVICTORY]

Who's in charge?

We don't know. The Iraqi people don't know. The Iraqi troops don't know. No unified structure giving orders. Noone has seen Saddam.

[Catspaw]

Oh, this one's good--this Brit wants to know the # of enemy forces. Like he's going to get an answer.

[AFPhys]

that's just the public stuff. Someday, I want to know all about the Special Ops.

I don't think you are going to get THAT wish for a long, long time, if ever, if I have any idea of classification and declassification of Top Secret material (and I do.)

LOL: close paraphrase:

"We don't know WHO's in charge.
We don't think the Iraqi people know who's in charge.
We don't even think the Iraqi regime knows who's in charge."

[commish]

no Accidental Bombings on Batthists either ---- those have allbeen intentional!!! ;-)

[An.American.Expatriate]

Don't have real player at work so I'm guessing - the should be a way to "pause" (like a VCR) - check the menues for a copy command. Others may no for sure!!