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tw · 03-25-2003, 07:59 PM

Just cannot get enough news. Too much happening. Too little hard news. Since that last post, the sand storm created a third battlefield enemy meaning that the so necessary blunt and fast attack on Iraqi Medina division did not happen. Momentum that is so necessary to the US strategy was lost.

Storm did not stop some critical operations. Somewhere in the Karabala region, a bridge over the Euphrates was taken. The bridge in Al Musayyib is essential for a move onto Baghdad. But that would be deep into enemy territory. Maybe a bridge in Al-Hindiyah which would be east of the 3rd Infantry? Its not on a major highway. Anything in a storm.

In the meantime, a third Marine expeditionary force is said to be traveling up the Trigris River. Major cities would be Al Amarah, then Al Kut - both towns about equal in size to An Nasiriyah. Then the highway leaves swampy land in a direct run to Baghdad, also closing in on 3rd Army's right flank.

Marines that would be moving up between the Tigris and Euphrates are still bottled up with problems in An Nasiriyah.

Meantime in the sand around 3rd Army, a major conflict erupted between 7th Calvary and an unknown Iraqi force. Conflict so violent that 7th Calvary lost armored vehicles including tanks.

Planning for this war was constantly rejected by the political leaders in George Jr's administration who complained the army wanted too much for the job. Generals never dispute their political bosses. But active generals let their opinions be known via retired generals. Widespread quotes from Generals of the 1991 Gulf War. This force does not have sufficient assets to complete the task.

Had the Iraqis been surrendering in mass numbers and had the civilians been welcoming the invaders, then the Baghdad attack may have sufficient forces. Generals say at least two heavy armor units and one armored Calvary to protect supply lines would have been minimally acceptable - but not acceptable to George Jr's administration. Slowly leaking comments from the White House now say this war will take at least two months - so that you will forget how they said how easy this war would be. Expect the war to be longer. Some are putting worst case numbers at 6 months - September. Depends on what happens in the next two weeks.

4th Army has now left and is still leaving Turkey to get to Kuwait. They will not be arriving until 1st week April and probably will not be operational until mid April. Unless there is a sudden, mass defection from Saddam, this war will be much more expensive than the George Jr administration would have us believe. But then many forget why the Gulf War was so easy and cost almost nothing. We had full and very enthusiastic support and cooperation from virtually every nation in the world. This will be an expensive war easily larger than 1/4 of the entire defense department budget.

In the meantime, will sufficient forces arrive just to support a 3rd Army attack on at least 3 divisions of Republican Guards? That just to get to city limits of Baghdad. A block by block fight would be ... well notice the situation in a much smaller city called Nasiriyah - that was suppose to be occupied by enemies of Saddam - Shia.

03-25-2003, 07:59 PM	#30
tw Read? I only know how to write. Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 11,933	Just cannot get enough news. Too much happening. Too little hard news. Since that last post, the sand storm created a third battlefield enemy meaning that the so necessary blunt and fast attack on Iraqi Medina division did not happen. Momentum that is so necessary to the US strategy was lost. Storm did not stop some critical operations. Somewhere in the Karabala region, a bridge over the Euphrates was taken. The bridge in Al Musayyib is essential for a move onto Baghdad. But that would be deep into enemy territory. Maybe a bridge in Al-Hindiyah which would be east of the 3rd Infantry? Its not on a major highway. Anything in a storm. In the meantime, a third Marine expeditionary force is said to be traveling up the Trigris River. Major cities would be Al Amarah, then Al Kut - both towns about equal in size to An Nasiriyah. Then the highway leaves swampy land in a direct run to Baghdad, also closing in on 3rd Army's right flank. Marines that would be moving up between the Tigris and Euphrates are still bottled up with problems in An Nasiriyah. Meantime in the sand around 3rd Army, a major conflict erupted between 7th Calvary and an unknown Iraqi force. Conflict so violent that 7th Calvary lost armored vehicles including tanks. Planning for this war was constantly rejected by the political leaders in George Jr's administration who complained the army wanted too much for the job. Generals never dispute their political bosses. But active generals let their opinions be known via retired generals. Widespread quotes from Generals of the 1991 Gulf War. This force does not have sufficient assets to complete the task. Had the Iraqis been surrendering in mass numbers and had the civilians been welcoming the invaders, then the Baghdad attack may have sufficient forces. Generals say at least two heavy armor units and one armored Calvary to protect supply lines would have been minimally acceptable - but not acceptable to George Jr's administration. Slowly leaking comments from the White House now say this war will take at least two months - so that you will forget how they said how easy this war would be. Expect the war to be longer. Some are putting worst case numbers at 6 months - September. Depends on what happens in the next two weeks. 4th Army has now left and is still leaving Turkey to get to Kuwait. They will not be arriving until 1st week April and probably will not be operational until mid April. Unless there is a sudden, mass defection from Saddam, this war will be much more expensive than the George Jr administration would have us believe. But then many forget why the Gulf War was so easy and cost almost nothing. We had full and very enthusiastic support and cooperation from virtually every nation in the world. This will be an expensive war easily larger than 1/4 of the entire defense department budget. In the meantime, will sufficient forces arrive just to support a 3rd Army attack on at least 3 divisions of Republican Guards? That just to get to city limits of Baghdad. A block by block fight would be ... well notice the situation in a much smaller city called Nasiriyah - that was suppose to be occupied by enemies of Saddam - Shia.