Anyone Rooting For Iraq?

[Lancecastor]

There's nothing more boring than the old "what if they threw a war...and nobody came?" scenario.

All these months of holding the world's attention with anxiety over War In Iraq!......what if it's like Grenada...over before you can make popcorn?

It seems to me that we should at least be rooting for the Republican Guard to make a go of it, you know? Put a little sport in it for the viewers?

So, let's watch to see if the road through Basra has lots of machine gun and small arms fire to slow up the convoys.

If we're lucky, they'll get those oil wells blown up before the yanks can get there....and I don't know about you, but flooding the Tigris with Oil & Mustard Gas then setting it on fire will make for Must See TV.

Baghdad could be months of house to house, quadrant by quadrant street fighting if we're lucky!

Of course, we're all hoping for minimal casualties....but I do hope that we at least get our Entertainment Dollar out of this boondoggle!

Go Republican Guard!

Are you with me? Or are you going with the easy money on the USA???

 

[Sukit_beatch!]

Yo. In prison, they wouldn't let us watch the olympics so we had to make up our own. I had trouble finding a sport I was competitive in. Finally, they assigned me to the curling team. I don't know how women do it all day. I must've burnt myself ten times. I played through the pain though. The judges gave my hair a 9, a 7, and a 6. I almost won the bronze.

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

Oh, I thought you meant in a soccer match.

In war, I think we may have a forfeit.

 

[phrodeau]

Be sure to subscribe to those premium channels that report the Real Unbiased News.

 

[P. B. Walker]

The Iraqi Republican Guard = The Duke University of NCAA Football.

 

[Lancecastor]

In war, I think we may have a forfeit.

Early odds suggest the smart money's on a romp.

But I'm hoping for at least some good pranks to keep things interesting....

With 50 Palaces to scoot between, it'd be fun to have late Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's son, Sascha, who's in Baghdad filming a documentary of the war, follow Saddam around from palace to palace like in a Three Stooges hotel corridor scene....oh the hijinx!

 

[Lancecastor]

The war may take longer than we believe
By Lawrence Freedman
Published: March 19 2003 21:48 | Last Updated: March 19 2003 21:48


The bigger difficulties for US and British forces lie in how military operations affect the civilian population and vice versa. The strategy depends not only on winning over Iraqi hearts and minds but also calming international public opinion. Air strikes will have to be carefully targeted. By deploying forces close to civilian areas the regime will dare the allies to commit atrocities. Popular insurrections are unlikely to be achieved by people cowering in underground shelters. If the regime does not collapse, then the coalition will face a further quandary, given the allies' reluctance to move en masse into Baghdad because of the inevitable casualties among their own troops as well as the local population.

Furthermore, the advance may be slowed by "catastrophic success". As the allies move into Iraq, they may be swamped by surrendering troops and desperate refugees. Suppose an insurrection begins and there are reports of major bloodletting. There will be urgent demands to restore law and order to prevent a humanitarian disaster. Before they reach Baghdad, the allies may have to fill the vacuum created by the collapse of Iraq's central government. Despite the size of the US-UK forces, such logistical complications could rapidly tie up troops destined for combat and disrupt supply chains servicing those who have pushed forward.

None of these factors put the outcome in doubt. The fragility of the Iraqi regime is a good working hypothesis. George W. Bush and Tony Blair certainly need a quick result if the potentially harmful effects of this campaign on regional and global stability are to be limited. The expectation of victory within days could exaggerate the political significance of any delay.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentS...y&c=StoryFT&cid=1045511873991&p=1012571727126

 

[Don K Dyck]

Be sure to subscribe to those premium channels that report the Real Unbiased News.

Oh, goody! goody!! goody!!! We are all going to be entertained once again by that great show, "The AmeriKKKan Military in Action" . . . just like the good ole days in the 60s . . .

we will be able to watch those street executions by the U$ Army personnel . . . brains splattering everywhere, cool!!! and the napalm bombing, YES!!

Remember when that little four year old girl was running screaming in agony down the road, her flesh buring off her naked body while the cameraman did nothing except record it all for us home safe in our living rooms Stateside . . .

then there was that wonderful Calley raid . . . how to massacre innocent civilians . . . now THAT will be a hard one to top this time around . . . thought it was a bit rough that the U$ Army court-marcshalled him for following the orders of a superior officer . . . who wasn't even charged . . . he must have had influential friends in the Pentagon . . . I wonder if Bill Calley will watch it from his prison cell??

But then, the AmeriKKKan Military are not likely to let us see the REAL war this time . . . good ole Fundamentalist Christian boys exterminating the heathen Muslims that own all those lovely oil reserves that Texan oil executives covet for their own . . .

Yep! . . . nothing like a good ole war provide profits for the NE military-industrial complex, and distract the population from a home economy in serious economic trouble . . .

Really makes you appreciate the AmeriKKKan road toll figures on 9/11 . . . heck! Iraq even warned the U$ about the attack . . . maybe the Shah of Iran was correct whe he said, "it is difficult to be an ally of the U$."

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

 

[crazybbwgirl]

I just hope you guys dont' think we're all like that in America. This country was built on a 'war mentality' and some of us are trying very hard to change that.

 

[Lancecastor]

But then, the AmeriKKKan Military are not likely to let us see the REAL war this time . . . good ole Fundamentalist Christian boys exterminating the heathen Muslims that own all those lovely oil reserves that Texan oil executives covet for their own . . .

Fortunately there's a Canadian documentary crew staying in Baghdad, so we may get to see some of what really happens.

 

[Tungwagger]

In response to your thread question Lance....

Um.....no.....

 

[Sandia]

I hope I do get to see some of the war from the ground in Baghdad.

 

[pointless]

i'm rooting for iraq, but only because i like rooting for the underdog. i was a big buffalo bills fan in the 90's, so go fig.

 

[Sandia]

My memory from the last war is the coverage was highly filtered.

 

[Guest]

 

[Lancecastor]

My memory from the last war is the coverage was highly filtered.

Rumsfeld & The Boys will certainly package the footage up better than Proctor & Gamble for the home market...people outside the USA will see the unedited stuff on other networks.

 

[REDWAVE]

The armchair general

The U.S. does have overwhelming military superiority over Iraq. However, that alone does not decide wars, as Vietnam proved. As Lance mentioned, there are numerous wild cards which could come into play, not the least of which is reaction among Americans here at home. As an honorary Rear Admiral (tee, hee), I'll play armchair general here.

Obviously, the Iraqis are not going to even attempt to seriously defend their borders, which aren't very defensible anyway, except with mines, boobytraps, etc., which they've had plenty of time to put into place. Most of their forces are going to pull back into the interior, around the main cities. No doubt they are already dug in, and intend to hunker down and make it through the initial massive terror bombing, and then pop up later when ground troops approach.

On the U.S. side, there is cuently a blinding sandstorm in Kuwait. It seems almost inconceivable the U.S. will launch the attack right now; it would be incredibly stupid tactically. Right now they are just moving their forces up into place, and getting ready for the assault. My guess is they'll wait until the sandstorm ends, and then attack.

The NYT has reported supply bottlenecks and shortages among the U.S. forces, especially a shortage of spare tires. This is especially significant since the Iraqis are likely to have planted a number of (low tech, inexpensive) devices in the sand to puncture tires. The U.S. mechanized columns could be halted, at least for a while, before they even reach Basra, much less Baghdad.

The biggest question is: will the Iraqis use chemical and/or biological weapons, and how effective will U.S. defenses be? The American troops have chemsuits, but it's not clear how well they will work. Even if they do work, temperatures are already in the 90's in the Middle East already, and can only go up with time. If U.S. troops are gassed, they may find themselves facing a Hobson's choice: either take the suits off and die, or stay in the suits and die, slowly roasting in their own juices.

I was against this war from the beginning. It is you warmongers who are now getting what you want. That brings to mind a very old saying: "Be careful what you wish for-- you just might get it."

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Re: The armchair general

The U.S. does have overwhelming military superiority over Iraq. However, that alone does not decide wars, as Vietnam proved. As Lance mentioned, there are numerous wild cards which could come into play, not the least of which is reaction among Americans here at home. As an honorary Rear Admiral (tee, hee), I'll play armchair general here.

Obviously, the Iraqis are not going to even attempt to seriously defend their borders, which aren't very defensible anyway, except with mines, boobytraps, etc., which they've had plenty of time to put into place. Most of their forces are going to pull back into the interior, around the main cities. No doubt they are already dug in, and intend to hunker down and make it through the initial massive terror bombing, and then pop up later when ground troops approach.

On the U.S. side, there is cuently a blinding sandstorm in Kuwait. It seems almost inconceivable the U.S. will launch the attack right now; it would be incredibly stupid tactically. Right now they are just moving their forces up into place, and getting ready for the assault. My guess is they'll wait until the sandstorm ends, and then attack.

The NYT has reported supply bottlenecks and shortages among the U.S. forces, especially a shortage of spare tires. This is especially significant since the Iraqis are likely to have planted a number of (low tech, inexpensive) devices in the sand to puncture tires. The U.S. mechanized columns could be halted, at least for a while, before they even reach Basra, much less Baghdad.

The biggest question is: will the Iraqis use chemical and/or biological weapons, and how effective will U.S. defenses be? The American troops have chemsuits, but it's not clear how well they will work. Even if they do work, temperatures are already in the 90's in the Middle East already, and can only go up with time. If U.S. troops are gassed, they may find themselves facing a Hobson's choice: either take the suits off and die, or stay in the suits and die, slowly roasting in their own juices.

I was against this war from the beginning. It is you warmongers who are now getting what you want. That brings to mind a very old saying: "Be careful what you wish for-- you just might get it."

I'm glad you're an admiral, cause your knowledge of ground tactics, weapons and issues ain't gonna cut it.

 

[Sandia]

I was in college at the time (and didn't have a TV), but I don't remember seeing any bodies in the last war. It seemed like a real contrast to the photos I've seen that came out of Vietnam. It was War - the Sanitized Version.

John Pilger (English journalist-filmmaker) said the American media has the most freedom, but is the least free.

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

I was in college at the time (and didn't have a TV), but I don't remember seeing any bodies in the last war. It seemed like a real contrast to the photos I've seen that came out of Vietnam. It was War - the Sanitized Version.

John Pilger (English journalist-filmmaker) said the American media has the most freedom, but is the least free.

Hmm.

The film that came out of Khafji was lovely.

Maybe you need to watch better TV.

 

[Sandia]

The biggest question is: will the Iraqis use chemical and/or biological weapons, and how effective will U.S. defenses be? The American troops have chemsuits, but it's not clear how well they will work. Even if they do work, temperatures are already in the 90's in the Middle East already, and can only go up with time. If U.S. troops are gassed, they may find themselves facing a Hobson's choice: either take the suits off and die, or stay in the suits and die, slowly roasting in their own juices.

I'm guessing the Iraqis will not use chemical weapons.

I think there's a real issue as to how effective they would be - there's no war where they made a decisive difference - and using them would alienate Saddam's support abroad, one of the few minor advantages he has going in.

There's also a chance the Iraqis have already destroyed them all.

 

[Lancecastor]

Once Bush1 saw the footage of Iraqis being slaughtered in GW1 on their retreat, the war was stopped.

You've seen the way the Palestinians parade their dead around...wait till we start seeing the Attack on Baghdad footage and Bush2 sees a Second Term evaporating.

He's going to let Saddam disappear, just like they let Osama go....Osama who?? Exactly...when was the last time Bush2 said the Name?

 

[badasschick]

Folks this is not a soccer match!!!!


I forsee mass stupidity overtaking the country.