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Troops ’poised to enter Basra’
Coalition forces are reportedly standing by to enter the southern Iraqi city of Basra to support a possible civilian uprising. British troops are also said to be fighting Iraqi paramilitary units and soldiers attempting to flee the country's second city through its western outskirts.
I've got a mental image of these guys shielding their heads whilst running through the skirts of giant kitchen utensil-wielding housewives towards a line coalition tanks.
Iraqi soldiers are believed to have opened fire on residents who joined revolts against Saddam Hussein - although reports of an uprising were described as "lies" by Baghdad.
"Oh, it's true, it's so truuuuue, the people hate us! We're a detested bunch of thugs and murderers, and we've got just days to live! D'OH! What have I said?! I mean, LIES, ALL LIES!!!
British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said that the situation in the city on Wednesday morning was "unclear", while some reports said that its streets were quiet. British military officials said overnight air raids on Basra city centre destroyed the headquarters of Saddam Hussein's ruling Ba'ath Party and several Iraqi mortar positions. British forces spokesman Group Captain Al Lockwood told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that before Basra was entered commanders would look "very, very carefully at all options available to us".
Just don't take too long, pls.
He said the streets of Basra were quiet on Wednesday, adding: "We are therefore very carefully assessing the situation to see how we can capitalise on it this morning." One unnamed British officer said the decision was taken to not go into Basra overnight because of fears that civilians could be mistakenly hit in any fighting. Describing the apparent rebellion Mr Lockwood said: "It started yesterday afternoon — it appeared some of the population rose up and started attacking the elements defending the city, these more and more appear to be criminal elements and members of the ruling Ba'ath Party.
I'm curious to know precisely what he means by "criminal elements" — and surely the Ba'athists are cell-fodder if anyone is.
"The attack from the local population obviously gave them cause for concern, to the extent that they started mortaring them." UK forces then targeted the mortar positions and dropped a precision bomb on the headquarters of Saddam Hussein's ruling Ba'ath Party, Mr Lockwood said. Mr Hoon told the BBC that there had been an attempted uprising on some scale in Basra, which had been met with mortar and gun fire by soldiers. The defence secretary said: "Certainly there have been disturbances, local people rising up against the regime."
And Mr Baath Bigshot doorknob dead... I like that.
Claims of a revolt were backed by the main Shia Iraqi opposition group, the Iran-based Supreme Assembly for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, which claims connections in the city. But Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed al-Sahhaf denied that any revolt had taken place in Basra. "The situation is stable. Resistance is continuing and we are teaching them more lessons," he told Qatar-based al-Jazeera television.
We appreciate the lessons, thanks. Really.
Posted by: Bulldog 2003-03-26
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=11875