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| Iraq |
| Americaâs 48 hours to kill Saddam |
| 2003-02-12 |
| AMERICAN war planners believe that they have little more than 48 hours from the start of a ground war to kill President Saddam Hussein if they are to avoid a protracted conflict and a complicated peace. Haunted by the failure to capture Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, Washington is putting in place plans to limit the damage if it fails to topple the Iraqi leader swiftly. Another day, another US plan hits the papers They rest in part on persuading the Iraqi people that US forces control the country even before Saddamâs demise. The Pentagon is planning to drop emergency food and medical aid from the first day of airstrikes to try to win the âhearts and mindsâ of locals so that they will support the ensuing invasion. OK, I buy that. The opening days of the war are planned as a massive air assault aimed at collapsing Saddamâs command structure, Check followed by a ârush for Baghdadâ by ground forces. Fast, but careful. US special forces and CIA teams are already operating on the ground in Iraq. Sussh, don't tell anyone! But if US forces cannot find Saddam or present credible evidence that he is dead, they will face stiffer resistance from the Iraqis. âIf people think Saddam is still alive they will be frightened to come out and support us, even if he is powerless,â one US official said. Finding him will be tricky, unless someone dials our 1-800-DIESADDAM tip line. The American failure to get bin Laden âdead or aliveâ, in Mr Bushâs words, has provided an unsettling background to war planning in Iraq. âOsama bin Laden hangs very heavy over Iraq,â the official said. âWe canât afford another repeat.â Binny's dead, Saddam will be soon. There are formidable difficulties in finding Saddam, who has numerous body doubles and rarely sleeps in the same place two nights running, and America is hoping that its massive show of force will prompt a âpalace revoltâ. I'd be really worried right now if I was one of Sammy's doubles |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 If command and control can be taken out it should be. In a dictatorship the dictator is the top of the command and control. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-02-12 17:37:10 |
| #3 It better not come down to us sitting there playing Metallica at full blast to roust him out of the Vatican embassy. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-02-12 16:49:30 |
| #2 Saddam will probably be the very last one to die. Plus the fixation on Saddam is foolish. What good does it do for us to get rid of him or his sons if we just replace him with an equally thuggish Baathist leader? Victory will be marked by crushing the Iraqi army, occupying the country and destroying all of their toys that shouldn't be in the hands of children or homicidal maniacs. |
| Posted by: Dreadnought 2003-02-12 16:12:22 |
| #1 The war will start when an Iraqi general calls in Saddams position and we take him out. One phone call, one cruise missle, one get out of jail free card for the General who is taking minimal risks since he doesn't have to get near Saddam with a weapon. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-02-12 11:04:32 |