Article

2003-03-28 Iraq

U.S. Force Plans Taking Kirkuk Oil Fields

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Posted by Steve White 2003-03-28 12:47 am|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Oh god, another Rumsfeld picnic scenario? Does the US really expect that Kurds will form a reliable northern front, yes seemingly she does. Well it wont take long and the 3th surprise next to the Shia will be that also some of the Kurdish tribes fight the US-British invasion, according to MIT Saddam provided weapons to 7 Kurdish tribes loyal to him. Well 173rd Airborne Brigade just make sure to walk behind the Kurds and keep an eye on them before you get shot in the back.

Posted by Murat 2003-03-28 04:36:49|| 2003-03-28 04:36:49|| Front Page Top

#2 I don't think the guys on the ground -- the SpecOps guys who have been there for weeks if not months -- are that stupid. Kirkuk will fall to the coalition, just like everything else in Iraq, given enough time and ordnance.

Posted by jrosevear 2003-03-28 05:38:10|| 2003-03-28 05:38:10|| Front Page Top

#3 Uh, Murat? Am I remembering wrong, or didn't you have a post a few days back where you suggested that we were going to take those bloodthirsty Kurds all the way to Baghdad and use them as assault troops in the fighting there? But now taking Kirkuk (ca. 150 miles north of Baghdad and in the Kurdish backyard) is impossible?

You're original theory seems to have been a bit of a "Rumsfeld picnic scenario". But to be fair, since English isn't your first language, maybe I misunderstood your post.

For the record, I have a hard time believing that the current Coalition forces in the North -- even reinforced with a Mechanized brigade -- will be able to take Kirkuk. So either we're planning something very unexpected (what is the 101st up to?), or this force's main job is to keep the Iraqi northern forces fixed -- particularly the Nebuchadnezzar and 1st Adnan divisions? That seems like something worth doing to me.

Posted by Patrick Phillips 2003-03-28 07:42:45|| 2003-03-28 07:42:45|| Front Page Top

#4 Patrick Phillips

You donât have to put the words in my mouth Patrick, I never said impossible, but it is true that Kurds will surprise you, youâll never know which tribe is friend or foe.

For the record, I have a hard time believing that the current Coalition forces in the North -- even reinforced with a Mechanized brigade -- will be able to take Kirkuk. So either we're planning something very unexpected (what is the 101st up to?), or this force's main job is to keep the Iraqi northern forces fixed -- particularly the Nebuchadnezzar and 1st Adnan divisions? That seems like something worth doing to me.

Yes I agree

Posted by Murat 2003-03-28 08:33:30|| 2003-03-28 08:33:30|| Front Page Top

#5 "Well 173rd Airborne Brigade just make sure to walk behind the Kurds and keep an eye on them before you get shot in the back. "

Well Murat, maybe if back in 1920 the allies had established a unified Kurdish state, and if they had succeeded in dividing Turkey among its neighbors, and Turks had gone through 80 years of what the Kurds have gone through, you'd also be unreliable and put your own interests above loyalty. Oh wait a minute, you do that anyway, dont you?

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-03-28 11:14:16|| 2003-03-28 11:14:16|| Front Page Top

#6 "it is true that Kurds will surprise you, youâll never know which tribe is friend or foe"

Ah. Like the Germans, French, and, yes, the Turks.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2003-03-28 14:33:24|| [www.kloognome.com/] 2003-03-28 14:33:24|| Front Page Top

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