Wouldn't be the first time they've grossly miscalculated a situation. They may think that the weather gives them an advantage. They may very well have very poor intelligence as to the disposition of US forces (they may think we're hurt, or much smaller than we are). They may be about to make a last ditch effort by using WMD in a pitched battle. It may be a combination of these. Whatever the case, this is good news. They are making another mistake.
This situation seems too odd. There has to be something up that is not being reported. Saddam knows his strength is in the city of Baghdad. It would be a very strange tactical move to send troops out to fight the Americans where they know they have no protection. By protection I mean civilians protecting them from having the hell bombed out of them. Saddam maybe crazy but he isn't stupid. I am thinking some sort of surrender talks or something must be going on.
That’s exactly what I was thinking, if the RP arrives all the way to the 7TH Cav. with no reports of air strikes, then something is definitely up.
I just hope this isn't a trap to lure in our tropps (many mor ethan a 1000) and set off their WMD (chemical, bio, whatever) This seems too easy to be true.
Could it be because their a bunch of p*****s and that was almost the only way they could score a kill? Or, because their a bunch of terrorist thugs? I think so. We need to teach these a-holes a lesson. I hope we whip up on this armoured column they have driving south. We should be able to capitalize bigtime on this. They are overconfident. We will pick them off like ducks at a pond...I hope. Another highway to hell? Quite possibly.
Bad hypothetical situation...RG takes civilians in their troop carriers. Hostage situation...What do we do?
I hope we blow up the column, or maybe, they are surrendering....that would be great news....more then likely they are trying to get them to the other cities to help bolster their control. Take em out boys. DD
I'm wondering if this is a last ditch effort by Saddam to go on the offensive and make it seem like this is still a fight. If they can take out of of the U.S.'s bases you know they're going to use it to rally the rest of the Iraqi troops to do the same. The military is sending some serious re-inforcements and back-up there so if that is Iraq's plan it could go up in smoke. This could get ugly because it sounds like this is what the U.S. wants, an open field fight.
They are using the sandstorms as a quick way to attack. Chemical weapons would really throw us off even with the wind blowing it away, imagine trying to fight with all that gear in 50 mph winds. Then the RG high tail it back to the quagmire that is Bagdad. They really have nothing else to lose.
There are 2 problems with that though: 1.) They would get a good dose of the chemicals themselves 2.) They're in the open field, and that makes them easy pray to air attacks from the coalition.
Firing chemical shells several miles with the wind at your back would give them the advantage/ opportunity to take a chance in the open. The sandstorm would cover them from air attacks particularly helicopters. Carpet bombing from B52's in a 50 - 75 mph sandstorm is difficult at best. Also the Iraqi commanders probably don't really care if some of their solders get dosed.
This was originally reported on Wednesday, but I haven't heard much about it since. I thought I heard it said on the radio this morning that the 1,000 vehicle number was untrue, and that it was closer to like a dozen vehicles. Anyone have a link to a story that talks specifically about what happened to this apparently "phantom" 1,000 vehicle convoy? I can't find any reports that specifically address this. Over 1,000 vehicles turning out to be only a dozen? Iraqi propaganda? Bad U.S. intelligence?
