So Umm Qasar is secure is it?

[p_p_man]

All quiet at the moment whilst...

the situation is being assessed.

A Colonel has just arrive to take charge of the situation...

Colonel Cox (?) a British Royal Marine (I think) though they haven't said yet...

He's just said the situation is stabalising...

I suppose he thinks it's because he's turned up on the scene...:}

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

OK. After a short lull...

there's now firing going on behind one of the target buildings...

Can't see anything but we can hear it...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

About twenty figures can now be seen...

in the distance moving towards a convoy of vehicles (unknown origin).

Brief firing has just broken out and the convoy look as though it's moving into defensive positions...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

The allied tanks and other vehicles are now...

leaving the area at speed.

There may be an air strike due any moment now...

ppman

 

[Linedrive]

Fox News says the Republican Guard Commander of Umm Qasr surrendered...?

 

[p_p_man]

It's just been confirmed that...

the battle is being relayed on Fox News...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

Here comes the air strike...

The camera has been locked off and the camerman has taken cover...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

Bombs beginning to drop....

big clouds of smoke, but the locked off camera was focussed on the wrong building, or the target changed, so nothing has been seen on TV yet...

Two more planes coming in...a Harrier just dropped it's load but still nothing seen on TV. But it could be they're moving along the three buildings and the one the camera is focussed on maybe the final one...

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

Air strike...

1st strike US Navy F18
2nd strike British Harrier

3rd Harrier in the area had to peel off to refuel. So nothing more at the moment...

This is beginning to show the depth of co-operation between the allied forces.

ppman

 

[p_p_man]

The US Marine Staff Sargeant, Nick Lerner...

who has been feeding the TV crew information as he received it has just said that anyone left in the buildings have now had the fight knocked out of them and it's a matter of mopping up and collecting any prisoners...

So it looks as though it's finally over...

After more than 4 hours in baking heat...

ppman