So Umm Qasar is secure is it?

[p_p_man]

Right now on TV at 06.36am gmt I'm watching a real time exchange of gunfire between Iraqi and Allied troops...

The place may be secure, but it sure ain't safe...

Those Iraqi gunmen are holding up any further mopping up.

As I write we're bringing up the tanks, so it may soon be over...

Well this little firefight might be but bet your bottom dollar there's another one just around the corner.

It's going to be worse in Baghdad...

ppman

 

[Saint Peter]

That's ok. We packed a lunch.

 

[70/30]

Right now on TV at 06.36am gmt I'm watching a real time exchange of gunfire between Iraqi and Allied troops...

The place may be secure, but it sure ain't safe...

Those Iraqi gunmen are holding up any further mopping up.

As I write we're bringing up the tanks, so it may soon be over...

Well this little firefight might be but bet your bottom dollar there's another one just around the corner.

It's going to be worse in Baghdad...

ppman

Our soldiers grow up on shoot-em-up video games, the wankers are the weak links. Why'd we even invite them?

 

[p_p_man]

This particular firefight has been going on...

for an hour now in the baking sun.

The men have been told not to drink more than 50% of their water.

There are vehicles moving in the distance but our little band of men don't know whether they're friend or foe, so they can't fire on them.

If each mopping up operation takes this long it's going to take forever to make the port 'safe'.

ppman

ps the armoured vehicles are now moving in at a rapid pace...

ppm

 

[p_p_man]

Tanks are now firing into the Iraqi (?) area...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

The picture is jumping about all over the place now...

and losing focus.

Dunno why yet...there's no commentary for the moment...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

Very little commentary but...

an American soldier has just said that they've just received confirmation that the two tanks are being fired upon...

You can see it on the screen and hear the thud...thud...thud of the firing but without commentary it's very eerie.

Word has just been passed down the line for everyone to keep their heads down as firing is still coming towards them...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

If anyone wants confirmation that the Iraqis...

are putting up stiff resistance, this is it.

ppman

 

[Aquila]

nda jst wh tyhe fuck arare you yu little grabtastic cowrd, wtching like movie whty less personal gumption as to stand up to n intertube of mfunctional hionoir

 

[Linedrive]

pp_man is posting on his laptop in a trench south of Basra.

 

[p_p_man]

The tanks are slowly advancing firing...

into the building as they go.

Nobody is going to move forward until the US Marines are absolutely convinved that there is nobody else alive...

Wise men...

Word has just come in from the studio in London that their are two counter-attacks taking place in the south at the moment. Whether this firefight is part of one of them nobody yet knows...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

pp_man is posting on his laptop in a trench south of Basra.

This is what happens when journalists are embedded in with the troops and fighting is seen in real time as it happens...

ppman

 

[Linedrive]

This is what happens when journalists are embedded in with the troops and fighting is seen in real time as it happens...

Do you think that is a good thing or a bad thing...?

 

[p_p_man]

They're now assessing the situation...

a bit more information...

The distance between the Marines and the house (building) is about 300 metres. The tanks are half that distance away and don't have their hatches battened down.

The commanding officer will have to make the decision soon to send men into the building to see if it's safe.

Rather him making that decision than me...

ppman

ps: On the road where the tanks are, a convoy of four wheel drive vehicles are racing towards the pinned down men. In camera terms, where I am at the moment.

Looks like some reinforcements have arrived...

ppm

 

[p_p_man]

Do you think that is a good thing or a bad thing...?

Whilst I'm waiting for whatever happens next...

I'd say in cases like this it's an extremely good thing. It shows the reality of the allies' advance without the spin from Washington.

In the scheme of things this is a very small action but I can imagine it being repeated all over Iraq.

It shows too the bravery of the men and women who are out there...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

The tanks now appear to be firing on a third target.

The action is unfolding as we're watching.

From one to two and now three targets...

A US Marine has just said that there is reason to believe that all targets have Iraqis occupying them...

The action has now been going on for 2 and a half hours...

ppman

 

[Byron In Exile]

Suddenly, four Iraqis spring from nowhere!

Laughing maniacally, they grab ppman's laptop and throw it into the sand!

Taking away his Bacardi bottle, they beat him with it about the face and head!!

Oh, the humanity!

 

[p_p_man]

News from the studio in London...

A Republican Guard in civilian clothes has just been captured and has said that there are over 120 Iraqi soldiers in the target buildings...

This small action is growing by the minute and is now tying up a substantial part of the allied force in the area.

ppman

 

[Linedrive]

pp_man would make Ernie Pyle proud

 

[Byron In Exile]

Thankfully, a camera crew arrives and chases the Iraqis away...

But are they in time to save ppman?

OMG!! He looks dead!

 

[p_p_man]

The TV crew with the men...

have just said that this operation has been upgraded from a firefight and mopping up exercise to a battle...

ppman

ps: just heard over the journalist's microphone:

"Hey get down on your bellies, this ain't over yet!"

ppm

 

[p_p_man]

If anyone wants to read about it...

SkyNews

Naturally they'll be behind the TV pictures but you may pick up more background information...

ppman

 

[teddybear4play]

Right now on TV at 06.36am gmt I'm watching a real time exchange of gunfire between Iraqi and Allied troops...

The place may be secure, but it sure ain't safe...

Those Iraqi gunmen are holding up any further mopping up.

As I write we're bringing up the tanks, so it may soon be over...

Well this little firefight might be but bet your bottom dollar there's another one just around the corner.

It's going to be worse in Baghdad...

I know what will help: wringing your hands and posting about it on Lit.

TB4p

 

[p_p_man]

There are now four tanks involved and...

they're endeavouring to encircle the original building...

As this battle is continuing vehicles are crisscrossing the battlefied. One of them was considered hostile and rounds of ammunition were pumped into it, killing all three occupants...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

It's just come over the TV that this battle is...

now being seen around the world, including the US.

Try FoxNews, the sister station of SkyNews...

ppman