Article

2003-03-31 Iraq

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Posted by Steve White 2003-03-31 12:24 am|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "The prisoners told the Americans they belonged to the guard's Nebuchadnezzar Brigade, based in Saddam's home area of Tikrit, and they had the guard's triangular insignia."

? What were they doing South of Baghdad?

Posted by John Anderson 2003-03-31 02:00:48|| 2003-03-31 02:00:48|| Front Page Top

#2 This is the first time since the war has started that I have heard anything mentioned about Tikrit. If it is saddams stronghold how come we haven't heard anything about it?

Posted by Anonymous 2003-03-31 02:51:02|| 2003-03-31 02:51:02|| Front Page Top

#3 Out of sight out of mind. Then POOF out of existance?

Posted by Anomalus 2003-03-31 07:01:58|| 2003-03-31 07:01:58|| Front Page Top

#4 That's "elite" Republican Guards. They can't be Republican Guards unless they're "elite". Ask any reporter.

Posted by tu3031 2003-03-31 08:41:43|| 2003-03-31 08:41:43|| Front Page Top

#5 "What were they doing South of Baghdad? "

In the absence (until recently) of a northern front, regime seems to be shifting RG south. Medina, Nebuchad, and Bagdad divisions hold line west-east from Karbala-Hilla-Kut. Hammurabi holds line west of bagdad, NW of Karbala. Adnan, which came down from Kirkuk to Tikrit, is now moving closer to Bagdad. I dont know if this opens up options in the north.

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-03-31 09:17:36|| 2003-03-31 09:17:36|| Front Page Top

#6 Actually the "Elite" is a given designation, as opposed to the "normal" Republican Guards. Sort of like the "Waffen SS" - politically reliable Nazi Party army units translated to Baathist loyal to Saddam, and the Leibstandarte SS which was sort of an "ethnically pure" Praetorian Guard for Hitler, translated to "Tikriti/Baathist" Brigades for Saddam.

The "Elite" are the only formations allowed to operate near government power centers. The slightly less politically reliable "run-of-the-mill" RGs stay on the outskirts, and are used to keep an eye on regular army units in peacetime.

A third component the Feydaheen Saddam basically acts like the Waffen-SS Totenkopf (simialr organization and dual purpose for internal supression "by any means neccesary" and external "high risk" war troops).

Posted by OldSpook 2003-03-31 12:29:36|| 2003-03-31 12:29:36|| Front Page Top

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