Posted on 09/16/2002 12:45:41 PM PDT by HAL9000
Exactly. Voluntary or by force. That's the only option open to Saddam.
That would be the first place I'd look....
I would also point out that we as a country suck at finding one guy. All of the way back to Chief Joseph, Pancho Via, Jefferson Davis, Hitler, Adid, OBL and so one. Our methods and force structure are not set-up to kill one guy!
Going into Bagdad sounds all nice and easy because we kicked their butt's on the open plains. Study the battle for Kafji (sp?) and any Marine who was there will tell you it was a very close thing. We nearly got OUR butt's kicked. That battle lasted for over three days in a relatively small town. I personnally want nothing to do with urban warfare - unless I'm the entrenched force.
Any takers?
This should be an easy one militarily but not as easy politically. Remember Desert Storm? I have heard we used something like 7-8% smart bombs vs. something like 80-90% we would use this time. Bye-bye air defense, command-and-control, pretty palaces and deep bunkers. Remember the 100 hour ground war? By the time of the cease fire, our troops were on the hills overlooking Baghdad, I am told by someone who was there, so close they could see the outskirts with the naked eye. Take a look at the map and you will realize that this is a pretty impressive feat given the suppossed might of the early-1990s Iraqi war machine.
The analysis I have heard is that Saddam's military capability is but one-third pre-Desert Storm.
Bush has been a "patient man" only to get the political aspects in order. Heck, even the Saudis said they would allow use of their military installations if/when the U.N. gets off its butt.
This is what worries me....if this new offer peels the Saudi's and say the Kuwaitis away from our position.....we are in a bind....
I have faith in Bush.....it is the other countries that worry me..
sign concession auction begins at 21:00 GMT
LOL, I thought we already blew up all the baby milk factories and civilian bomb shelters over there. Maybe they rebuilt one or two.
That's about 95% correct, I think. The other 5% is that Bush is committed to a regime change, not Saddam's corpse on display.
If we are able to topple his regime, and he's nowhere to be found, the mission would still be accomplished.
Senior Arab source: Iraq preparing statement allowing UN weapons inspectors back into country (News Agencies)
Iraqi move on inspectors mooted
From corresponents in Baghdad
17sep02
IRAQ'S Foreign Minister is reportedly to make "an important announcement" in New York in the next few hours that "moves in the right direction" in resolving the stand-off over disarmament.
Western diplomats in Baghdad have foreshadowed the move by Naji Sabri.
Their comments today came after President Saddam Hussein chaired three meetings of Iraq's top leadership in the space of just 24 hours.
Reuters has reported that amid rumours of some kind of reaction or letter expected from Iraq, Sabri had cancelled all appointments today.
He was to have seen UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as well as Canadian Prime Minister Jean Cretien, among others.
French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said some Arab officials believe Saddam may be preparing to re-admit UN arms inspectors to his country.
The United States has been urging the United Nations to act on Iraq, which it accuses of stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.
President George W. Bush, whose stated aim is to oust Saddam, has threatened US military action if the international body does not get results.
As Powell consulted with council members, two U.N. officials said Secretary-General Kofi Annan was working with Iraqi and Arab League officials Monday night on a letter outlining Iraq's position on the return of U.N. weapons inspectors.
My guess is that Saddam will try to deflect things by letting inspectors in, but will explicitly refuse to meet Bush's conditions.
If so, the result will be to complicate the President's attempts to get support from Dems like Dasshole, and nations like Germany and France.
We've said we'll go it alone if we have to. Backing down from that seems very unlikely, but an even slightly conciliatory statement from Iraq would certainly have the potential to slow us down.
Say WHAT???
I guess Koffi hasn't read it....LOL
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