FN: Ollie North: "This has been the most awesome display of aerial firepower that I've ever seen." "The aerial display, and bombs just stopped falling (on the airport so assumed we've taken it)...
(Ollie's with) one of the lead elements of 2nd tank battalion....lead element of 5th.. of 1st Marine Exped force...8 miles from Baghdad...crossed the Tigris..approaching from the East....we had a whale of a fight at Al Kut...we've now seized all of those crossings..."they are now literally re-armed, re-fueled and poised for that final attack." "None of us are able to use our satellite equip...but the tone of this briefing was as upbeat and aggressive as any I've seen. We've never had any better than these soldiers, airmen and marines out here right now.." Confident, judging by defections and surrenders, the fight will have a quick ending...