Pentagon: Saddam's family trying to flee Baghdad

Irish Examiner ^ | March 31st, 2003

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Pentagon: Saddam's family trying to flee Baghdad
31/03/2003 - 9:35:10 pm

Huge explosions rocked the heart of the Iraqi capital tonight, sending huge clouds of smoke over a building in the centre of the city and around the presidential Old Palace compound across the Tigris River.

It was unclear what had been hit.

The blasts - one of the strongest since the air campaign began - shook a hotel where many journalists were staying.

Earlier in the day warplanes and cruise missiles pounded the same compound, targeting a palace used by Saddam Hussein’s younger son son Qusay.

In Washington, Pentagon spokeswoman Tori Clarke said US officials have seen evidence that members of President Saddam Hussein’s family, and the families of senior Iraqi officials, have tried to flee the country.

When pressed for details she would not elaborate.

“We have seen some reports recently, and I’ll leave it at that,” she said.

Allied air strikes have caused ”a very significant weakening” of Iraqi forces, and Iraqi commanders are moving Republican Guard troops around to shore up their strength, the US Defence Department said tonight.

Major General Stanley McChrystal said 3,000 precision-guided bombs were dropped on Iraqi forces over the weekend, more than a third of the total number dropped since the war began.

The bombings have caused “a very significant weakening of the forces,” McChrystal said. “We are seeing some movement of Republican Guard formations as well. ... What we think we’re seeing them do is moving to reinforce other units that have been severely degraded.”

In what could be a prelude to the battle for the Iraqi capital, American forces are doing what one senior Pentagon official called “aggressive armed reconnaissance” in a number of areas rimming the southern approaches to Baghdad.

A number of units have been sent on probing missions forward of fighting positions to assess Iraqi troop strength and cut Iraqi forces off where they can, two Defence Department officials said.

A week of heavy bombing has left some of Iraq’s Republican Guard units surrounding Baghdad at less than half strength, with the Medina and Baghdad divisions the most severely degraded, Pentagon officials said.

The military also was tracking five Guard brigades, including two infantry, seen on the move last week.

It was not exactly clear how they were repositioning themselves, though some Iraqis captured south of Baghdad were reported wearing the arm patches of the Nebuchadnezzar Division, which was supposed to have been guarding cities in the north.

This has led defence officials to believe reinforcements have been sent from the north to bolster the degraded southern Guard units. Officials said other Iraqi units have been seen pulling back, closer to Baghdad.

Intense bombing continued today. Over the weekend, Pentagon officials said that US troops were prepared for a major attack against Saddam’s Guard forces, but the heaviest attack may have to await pressure to build on the Iraqi leader.

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((((((growl)))))

[vastrightwc]

That would be shame if Saddam were unable to have any of his children live to carry on the good family name...

[FreeTheHostages]

Pentagon said they had "reports" that this may have happened.

Pentagon has not said confirmation. I listend to Torrie Clark's press conference.

[Poohbah]

Saddam's family trying to flee Baghdad

Waitaminute, I thought we were "disorganized," in the middle of an "operational pause," and unable to cope with Iraqi resistance.

Maybe Saddam's family knows something the blow-dried blowhards on the TV don't.

[annyokie]

Jeez, I wonder why?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I thought we were ready to surrender Washington DC, three states, and the Number 1 NFL draft choices for the next 5 years to Hussein, we've been so disorganized.

[FreeTheHostages]

The source article that you use simply states that Ms. Clarke acknowledges the *existence* of *reports* that this is occuring -- there were reports about this early as yesterday. She pointedly declined to weigh in on the veracity of these reports. Contrary to the title of your thread, the Pentagon has not taken a factual position on this.

[js1138]

My guess is they are dropping bunker busters repeatedly over the same spot, assessing the damage, rinse, repeat. When one of them finally penetrates the concrete, it'll be like a bean in a blowpipe. The whole system of tunnels will pop.

[Humbug]

What scares me is the possibility that they may be fleeing in advance of a strike - and i don't mean a strike by the Allied Forces.

[kinghorse]

Enemy forces move to the south. Shore it up. Ok good. 101st swing in from the NW. Serves two good purposes. One strategic (hit em where they aint) and one tactical (intercept the ba'athist high tailing it to Syria).

[Howie66]

It matters not where the vermin flee.............

We will hunt them down as the dogs that they are. They will find no refuge from the justice that they so richly deserve.

[Argus]

They are headed to Paris, where they will join Arafat's wife and daughter doing the rounds of the restaurants and boutiques while the little people and their offspring are herded into battle in Iraq as unwilling kamikazes for Saddam.

[FreeTheHostages]

Repeat: I watched this press conference and Torrie Clarke did *not* say that the Pentagon is confirming that members of Saddam's family are trying to flee. She merely confirmed the existence of *reports.* The source article for this thread has it right, but the title of this thread is wrong.

[Sabertooth]

Maybe Saddam's family knows something the blow-dried blowhards on the TV don't.

No doubt. My concern is that they may have a bit of an advance warning that Hussein is about to play his chemical Samson card.

[Mark17]

Don't we have the roads covered? There is no way they will get out by aircraft.

[FreeTheHostages]

Still, all that said, I hope those reports are right. I bet they are. We shall see.

[Teetop]

I say we capture them , then leave them in a main square in Baghdad for the people of Iraq to deal with them! Could be a repeat of Mussolini or Chouchescu. Wouldn't bother me one bit if it was a repeat either!

[Sabertooth]

The source article for this thread has it right, but the title of this thread is wrong.

The headline was copied and pasted. I just checked again, it hasn't been changed.

[NautiNurse]

Some 'news of the weird edge' thread said his family was already in Syria.

Saddam seems egocentric enough to keep his family close. Does anyone recall where his family was during Gulf War I?