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| Iraq |
| Major battle near Baghdad |
| 2003-04-01 |
| Coalition forces were engaged in a âmajor battleâ with Iraqâs elite Republican Guard in the town of Karbala, about 60 miles southwest of Baghdad, a U.S. military official at Central Command headquarters said Wednesday. The comments came after intense overnight bombing in the area, where where the Medina Division of the Republican Guard â possibly augmented by other, repositioned units of Saddamâs best trained and best equipped troops â was defending the approach to the capital against U.S. infantry. Some military officials hinted that this was the beginning of a major ground offensive against Baghdad. Lets pray for these guys. We're light on the ground withouth the 4th. âTHIS IS THE big battle,â said the U.S. military official at forward headquarters in Qatar. Asked if the fighting represented a much anticipated new push toward the Iraqi capital, the official said: âIt well could be.â FOLLOWUP: From FoxNews teevee... FoxNews reports that 3ID is engaging Medina RG Division, and the 1st MEF are engaging the Baghdad RG Division at al-Kut. |
| Posted by:JAB |
| #4 shhh! |
| Posted by: becky 2003-04-01 22:21:35 |
| #3 Look at the map. The Marines are pulling ot the east of their area at Al Kut. The 3rd ID is pulling ot the west of Karbala (gap between the city and the resevior). Where is the 101st? Bomb the RGs to weaken them, pull them in opposite directions, and then hey-diddle-diddle, straight up the middle for the 101st which would allow the 101 to exploit and kill off artillery units (primary souce of chem weapons in the Iraqi army) - and strategically, that would cut off the retreat routes for the RGs - in effect pocketing them in 2 sections isolated from each other and Baghdad. That would be the biggest full encirclement since WW2, possibly Kursk or the the trapping of OB-West in the Ruhr. (Discounting the last GW, since there was considerable flight fromthe pocket prior to it closing). |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2003-04-01 22:04:08 |
| #2 Is this the big battle or a prelude? Me thinks that when they get a taste of combined arms fires to grid; they be quitting pretty quick. MLRS has some tangy punch to it. Also I am thinking if saddam is alive at all he's in Tikrit, which has been very silent, DOD saying nothing about it. Probably snuck up there with his favorite sons hoping to run the war from there and if neessary skip town from there. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-04-01 20:56:41 |
| #1 "light on the ground"? We're damn heavy in the air. The Americans aways want overwhelming firepower and the air provides a lot of that. |
| Posted by: Don 2003-04-01 20:42:00 |