Article

2003-03-26 Iraq

US cannot take Baghdad until next week: Egyptian former army chief

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Posted by Fred Pruitt 2003-03-26 11:08 am|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Sounds reasonable.

Posted by Ptah 2003-03-26 11:10:46|| [www.crusaderwarcollege.org] 2003-03-26 11:10:46|| Front Page Top

#2 We had a shot at a one-week war, but now we might as well admit that we have at least a one-month war on our hands and take the time to get properly organized for investing and if need be assaulting Baghdad.

Posted by Hiryu 2003-03-26 11:42:36|| 2003-03-26 11:42:36|| Front Page Top

#3 Whoever said it'd be over in one week (other than the media)? Iraq is a country of 20+ MILLION. If you figure at least 5% are willing to support Saddam to the end, that's 1 million combatants to deal with. Hopefully an equal or greater number will be willing to support us, while the balance may be too busy with their own lives and problems or too apathetic to care.

Posted by Dar Steckelberg 2003-03-26 11:54:05|| 2003-03-26 11:54:05|| Front Page Top

#4 Yes, Dar, and it's more like 5 % who don't support Saddam. There is a reason Saddam is in charge for 30+ years : he's just the kind of leader the Iraqis seem to prefer.

Posted by Peter 2003-03-26 12:45:49|| 2003-03-26 12:45:49|| Front Page Top

#5 I'm with Fred. Depending on whether they use chemical weapons, I think they'll get up there, surround the city, bomb whatever they have to bomb, and wait while things get cleaned up in the south and the north. If we're lucky, and they're stupid (which it looks like they are from what I read today), they'll come out to fight in the open rather then us going in to dig them out.

Posted by tu3031 2003-03-26 15:09:11|| 2003-03-26 15:09:11|| Front Page Top

#6 I think Peter is way off, I think few support Saddam, but many fear him. With Iraqi columns coming out to fight the Iraqi's uprising in Basra may succeed and spread. The fear will go away. We may see the end of the Saddam regime by the end of the weekend.

Posted by Yank 2003-03-26 16:57:55|| 2003-03-26 16:57:55|| Front Page Top

#7 That's too hopeful Yank. I sure do hope Franks has something original up his sleeve to avoid house to house combat. There's not enough troops for that.

Posted by RW 2003-03-26 19:38:01|| 2003-03-26 19:38:01|| Front Page Top

#8 What the U.S. doesn't understand: They CAN'T take Baghdad at all unless they are willing to flatten it or to starve it's inhabitants to death. A guerrilla war in Baghdad is not winnable, it will just lead to destruction. Tanks will be useless in the rubble.

Baghdad will be America's Stalingrad.

Unless... yes unless Saddam gets killed and the Iraqis are sure he is dead. If not, expect the Hitler effect. Only when he was dead Germany capitulated although in 1945 he probably had less followers than Saddam has in Iraq today.

I know this will earn me nothing more than a laughter from you all. But you might remember this post in about 3 months when the "Bring our boys home" call becomes deafening.

Decapitation was the great chance. The CIA got that right. America lost this war in the first hours. And I'm not happy about it. You will leave the world in a far bigger chaos than it was before. Congratulations!

Posted by Anonymous 2003-03-26 23:47:02|| 2003-03-26 23:47:02|| Front Page Top

#9 "...expect the Hitler effect. Only when he was dead Germany capitulated"
I think he killed himself because the end was near, not the other way around. But ok...
"You will leave the world in a far bigger chaos than it was before"
Not at all. All the hatred will be directed at Americans, which it already was anyway. And they will survive just fine. France & Germany, Russia & China, and the rest of the weasels will be quite safe. And can't imagine things getting worse than they already are in the rest of the world.
So go back under the covers until America tells you it's safe to come out again.

Posted by RW 2003-03-27 00:21:55|| 2003-03-27 00:21:55|| Front Page Top

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