| Submit your comments on this article |
| Axis of Evil |
| U.S. Exploring Baghdad Strike as Iraq Option |
| 2002-07-29 |
| As the Bush administration considers its military options for deposing Saddam Hussein, senior administration and Pentagon officials say they are exploring a new if risky approach: take Baghdad and one or two key command centers and weapons depots first, in hopes of cutting off the country's leadership and causing a quick collapse of the government. This week's NY Times leak... The "inside-out" approach, as some call this Baghdad-first option, would capitalize on the American military's ability to strike over long distances, maneuvering forces to envelop a large target. Those advocating that plan say it reflects a strong desire to find a strategy that would not require a full quarter-million American troops, yet hits hard enough to succeed. One important aim would be to disrupt Iraq's ability to order the use of weapons of mass destruction. Sounds like my (not serious at all) throwaway on staging a "coup d'etat." I hope they don't seriously plan to drop the 82nd Airborne, and I strongly suspect they don't... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #5 The real attack will come from below, through a tunnel the infidels are digging from their Bagram base in Kabul, under Iran, to the heart of Baghdad. You read it here first. |
| Posted by: Tresho 2002-07-29 23:34:23 |
| #4 Let's see. The 82nd just replaced the 101st in Afghanland. That means they'll be ready for redeployment in a number of months after a period of low intensity live fire training. When is the best weather window for going into Iraq? Is it easier to airlift from Central Asia to Iraq or North Carolina to Iraq? Just don't jump on top of a flak heavy environment. |
| Posted by: Don 2002-07-29 15:30:48 |
| #3 Somebody at the NSC is sitting around laughing his/her butt off, since the Iraqis "know" that we're going to attack from the north, the south, the east or the west, by air, by sea, or by land, using anywhere from a dozen Special Forces and CIA guys to 250,000 heavies. It's all there. All you have to do is read the paper and prepare for it. |
| Posted by: Fred 2002-07-29 11:19:25 |
| #2 The reason why they print the "plan of the week" is twofold: a. make GWB look indecisive b. prove that once Iraq goes down, that even a blind pig can find the right acorn once in a while. |
| Posted by: Tom Roberts 2002-07-29 11:02:09 |
| #1 How can the NY Times print each and every Invasion Plan O' the Week™ and think they're doing their credibility any good? Somebody is having a good time at the Times' expense in leaking all these plans, or else the Times is making this crap up. Maybe the purpose is to keep Saddam all edgy and paranoid, which does the health of his staff of generals, etc. little good, I would think.. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2002-07-29 10:59:43 |