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2003-03-26 Terror Networks

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Posted by Anonymous 2003-03-26 03:43 am|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Sorry I forgot to put my name it is not Anonymous but Murat.

It looks like American troops got stuck in the Tigris delta due to bad planning and the lack of backup reserves. The war has started without completion of the necessary force build-up due to political misfortunes and self-deceptions, believing that Iraqis would welcome the forces as âliberatorsâ. Where are those virtually supposed 100.000 peshmerga forces, intelligence reports show that in reality Kurds have only 30.000 light armed fighters, no match at all for the Iraqis to open the northern front or rallying the opposition forces a la Afghan style. Military strategists say it is unlikely that the planning has been made by Gen. Tommy Franks who stated the need of an additional army.

Posted by Murat 2003-03-26 04:49:07|| 2003-03-26 04:49:07|| Front Page Top

#2 Latest reports have a convoy of perhaps 1000 republican guard vehicles headed towards the force that is "stuck in the Tigris delta". Remember the Iraqi retreat from Kuwait during Gulf War I and the result? Moving large columns of ground forces through open space when the enemy is in sole control of the air is suicide. Hey Murat, you don't suppose that drawing them out of Baghdad just might have been part of the plan do you?

Posted by B. 2003-03-26 06:13:37|| 2003-03-26 06:13:37|| Front Page Top

#3 Hello Buldog, the Iraqis are maybe planning to make use of the sandstorm cover, or they rush in backup troops to keep a strategic position and maybe to rescue a valuable person of the Saddam familie, who knows. I have no idea of how severe such sandstorms can be, the Iraqis are taking big risks, interesting.

Posted by Murat 2003-03-26 06:35:35|| 2003-03-26 06:35:35|| Front Page Top

#4 Buldog read this link: fierce weather

The Iraqis are definitely using the sandstorm coverage.

Posted by Murat 2003-03-26 06:52:27|| 2003-03-26 06:52:27|| Front Page Top

#5 "True, but every time Rumsfeld did open his mouth, it did the US cost an ally"

The utter cluelessness- the sheer stupidity- of this statement is simply breathtaking. It pains me terribly to point out something that should be patently obvious, Murat, but the truth is we haven't lost any allies at all: we've just learned who is our friend, and who is not.

It is you, not we, who have cause for concern: in the space of barely two months your country's bumbling, venal leadership has transformed Turkey; once a trusted, valued friend, you are now a probable future enemy.

What the hell are you people using for brains, anyway? Just curious...

Posted by Dave D. 2003-03-26 07:03:14|| 2003-03-26 07:03:14|| Front Page Top

#6 we've just learned who is our friend, and who is not.

Sure buddy, "who is not with is, is against us". Must be a really comfortable way to make up who is friend or foe, and vouches for a lot of brain use.

Posted by Murat 2003-03-26 07:12:00|| 2003-03-26 07:12:00|| Front Page Top

#7 I'm flattered, Murat, but that's not me you're talking to. I'll read the post and might comment later...

Posted by Bulldog 2003-03-26 07:19:41|| 2003-03-26 07:19:41|| Front Page Top

#8 Murat - Read all about JSTARS. Sandstorms are irrelevant, trust me.

Posted by B. 2003-03-26 07:37:39|| 2003-03-26 07:37:39|| Front Page Top

#9 And Turkey's refusal to allow the 4th I.D.has nothing to do with it?(I Suppose)
I've been in Phoenix,Az.during sandstorms
you will be driving along(50mph/about65kph)You'll see a brown wall in the distance,next thing you know all you can see is brown.There have been some horiffic pile-ups on the highways/freeways because visibility can drop too zero in a couple of secounds.

Posted by raptor 2003-03-26 07:57:09|| 2003-03-26 07:57:09|| Front Page Top

#10 B., It is hard to believe that the Iraqi military planners don't know about the JSTARS and their ability, must be a reason they risk 1000 vehicles and I guess the timing during a sandstorm is not just a stupid coincedence.

Posted by Murat 2003-03-26 08:14:47|| 2003-03-26 08:14:47|| Front Page Top

#11 It will be interesting to see who is really to blame for the great force-level screwup. I recall Stratfor running a piece claiming that Rummy was mad at the Army for being unable to get mobilized fast enough once he had agreed to a heavier force. The weather and time are against us so the administration obviously decided to roll the dice. The problem is Rummy/Wolfowitz/Perle etc. seem to have forgotten their Clauswitz and that nice little concept known as friction.

I still don't understand why we aren't seeing elements of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in region to do road patrol work. They can at least be flown in in a pinch. Using battle tanks seems less then optimal, that little matter of bridges that go crunch.

Posted by Hiryu 2003-03-26 08:38:17|| 2003-03-26 08:38:17|| Front Page Top

#12 Force level scew-up - i suspect the military will end up blaming State and the politicals - if 4th ID was coming down from the north, they could use 101st for other tasks.

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-03-26 08:52:39|| 2003-03-26 08:52:39|| Front Page Top

#13 And Turkey's refusal to allow the 4th I.D.has nothing to do with it?

So, you suppose Turkey is to blame then, what about those politicians talking about "horse trading" and "bribing the Turkish belly dancer", they did their job excellent?

Posted by Murat 2003-03-26 09:11:36|| 2003-03-26 09:11:36|| Front Page Top

#14 Murat, your highlighted comments have become a bit nasty lately. As I see it, you think we'd be better off dumping Rumsfeld, dumping the Geneva Conventions, and plunging headlong into Iraqi forces like a bunch of suicidal maniacs. You clearly suffer the delusion that our leadership and our military are inept. I wonder if your opinions reflect typical attitudes in Turkey. If so, it is perhaps best that our alliance with Turkey is crumbling.

Posted by Tom 2003-03-26 10:00:42|| 2003-03-26 10:00:42|| Front Page Top

#15 They light up oil trenches in Baghdad every morning to try and stop the cruise missiles and GPS bombs. That's worked REALLY well. Now they send out a 1000 vehicle convoy they think can hide in a sandstorm. Military geniuses they ain't. And that's a HUGE, probably decisive, advantage to us.

Posted by tu3031 2003-03-26 10:05:50|| 2003-03-26 10:05:50|| Front Page Top

#16 We don't really need agents or the locals to point out the Ba'athist scum. Just look for the well-fed, even chubby, Iraqis.

And Murat, I think you misread the real message of the Times' story - they're real, real scared that nothing absolutely horiffic has happened to the coalition troops yet. US politics is the Grey Lady's baliwick, first last and always.

Posted by mojo 2003-03-26 10:44:13|| 2003-03-26 10:44:13|| Front Page Top

#17 What happen Murat,you used to be a reasonable guy.Is that"Screw America milk"getting sour.
If I remember right Turkey's haggling kept the 4thI.D.hanging around waiting for permision to land.
Now your upset that America say's"Go piss up a rope".Let me clue you in on a fact of life:Everyone(governments included)have decisions and choices to make,Turkey made thier decision now they have to live with it.
I guess the $6bn included in Bush' supplamentary budget doesn't mean much to you.Well that is fine with me you can take a handfull of sand and pound it.

Posted by raptor 2003-03-26 11:56:44|| 2003-03-26 11:56:44|| Front Page Top

#18 Reports are that the turkey shoot involving that RG convoy is underway. Highway of Death II it is. Sorry Murat, no sneaky Iraqi troop movements under the cover of sandstorms today.

Posted by B. 2003-03-26 13:30:21|| 2003-03-26 13:30:21|| Front Page Top

#19 Wow! That they believed they could hide from us in the sandstorms is unreal. Maybe the Drudge title is right, Sandstorm from God.

Posted by becky 2003-03-26 15:19:10|| 2003-03-26 15:19:10|| Front Page Top

#20 Hey Murat: Major Garrett on Fox broke the news just now that 1000 paratroopers from a base in Vincenza (sp?) Italy had entered the northern front. That along with the announcement earlier by the Military (the only brains in Turkey apparently) that they would not enter Turkey with more troops yet had secured a marginally better aid ~~bribe~~ package, shows you Turks really know how to bargain....I wanna play Poker with you, son, bring some money ;-)

Posted by Frank G 2003-03-26 16:41:48|| 2003-03-26 16:41:48|| Front Page Top

21:49 Anonymous
21:16 Anonymous
21:12 Anonymous
21:05 Anonymous
10:02 raptor
07:02 raptor
01:42 bluto6
00:21 RW
00:06 Doug De Bono
00:06 Frank Martin
00:04 Brew
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23:54 Doug De Bono
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23:47 Anonymous
23:46 Rex Mundi
23:43 Brew
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