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A senior U.S. official said the raids in and around Baghdad had been intended as “extensive prepping of the battlefield” in the no-fly zone in the south of the country. But the attack was ramped up after U.S. intelligence spotted what was termed a “target of opportunity,” described as a “senior or very senior member of the Iraqi regime.” U.S. officials told Miklaszewski that the target was Saddam himself. They would not say whether the attack, in which F-117s dropped mammoth GBU-27 “bunker buster” bombs, was successful.

They have brought it up twice, even mentioned the number of the divisions. Sorry for not catching the #'s I'll keep posting if they bring it up a third time.

TEXT-Bush says U.S.-led forces begin Iraq attack WASHINGTON, March 19 (Reuters) - Following is the text of remarks on Wednesday by U.S. President George W. Bush on the early stages of an attack on Iraq: My fellow citizens, at this hour American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger. On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war. These are opening stages of what will be a broad and...

Iraq recruits suicide army from neighboring states SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM Wednesday, March 19, 2003 LONDON — Iraq has mobilized thousands of Islamic volunteers from nearby countries for suicide missions in defense of the Saddam Hussein regime.. Iraqi opposition and Western diplomatic sources said the Islamic volunteers were recruited by Iraqi intelligence agents in Jordan and inspired by Al Qaida and its war against the United States. They said the volunteers have been given a range of duties by Iraqi security forces. They include digging trenches in and around Baghdad and filling them with oil to block the path of...

<p>KUWAIT CITY  — Fifteen Iraqis surrendered to American forces at the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border on Wednesday, a U.S. Army officer said.</p> <p>Capt. Darren Theriault of the headquarters company of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division told journalists with the unit that the Iraqis had been turned over to Kuwaiti custody.</p>

Masses of Iraqi soldiers are deserting and senior members of President Saddam Hussein's ruling family circle are defecting as the countdown to a British and US invasion reaches its final hours. In northern Iraq, on the border with Kurdistan, up to three-quarters of some Iraqi regiments have already fled. In the mainly Shia Muslim south, Kuwaiti border guards are having to turn Iraqi soldiers back - telling them that they must wait until an attack begins before they can surrender. And in a highly significant development in Baghdad a half-brother of President Saddam, who is regarded as the dictator's closest...

March 20, 2003 FIFTEEN Iraqi soldiers have crossed the border into Kuwait and surrendered to US troops, a US officer said. The 15 were handed over to Kuwaiti police after laying down their arms and giving up, said Captain Darrin Theriault, headquarters company commander of the First Brigade of the US Army's Third Infantry Division. The surrenders came amid the 48-hour ultimatum given by President George W. Bush to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to leave his country or face a massive attack. Bahrain reportedly offered sanctuary to Saddam today in a last-ditch bid to avert a US-led war.

US officials have said rumours that Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz had either defected or been shot dead fleeing Baghdad are untrue. The rumours affected oil prices in New York as the George W. Bush's deadline for Saddam and his sons to flee Iraq appraoched. A US official said: "These rumours are just not true". It had been rumoured that Aziz had fled to Kurdish-held northern Iraq. But an a senior Kurdish source scoffed at the rumour Aziz was being held by Kurdish forces. Rumours of the imprisonment, flight or death of member of Saddam Hussein's administration are common,...