Posted on 04/01/2003 1:25:33 PM PST by Diogenesis
\GOTTA SEE THIS - War for Enduring Freedom 4/2/03 - H2, Mosul, Al Hindiyah, Abu al Khasib, Thunbah Al Hamra, Basra
Baghdad, Iraq - Crescendo shock and awe from the Presidential compound to Presidential guest compound
Baath telecommunications building, Baath Security Bldg. Information Ministry, Iraqi State TV Studio H2 - western Iraq - Coaltion Forces take western airfields AC-130 gunships Arbil - Iraqi retreat Mosul - Missile Facility and Enemy gets Shock and Awe Al Hindiyah - Red Badge of Courage at the Euphrates River Abu al Khasib - 'Operation James' and the British Commando Regiment Royal Artillery Date Groves - British Military Queens Dragoon Guards fire at Iraqi positions Thunbah Al Hamra - Desert Rats took the Baath Party Headquarters Battle of, and Exodus from, Basra Basra - checkpoint of freedom Basra - champion Irish Guards Basra - discarded Iraqi gas masks Frederick, Maryland - Patriotic rally New York - Patriotic rally
========= Baghdad =========
In Baghdad, Iraq, continued crescendo shock and awe.
In Baghdad, the presidential compound.
In Baghdad, at the presidential guest compound
In Baghdad, at the Baath telecommunications building.
In Baghdad, Baath Security Bldg. pre and post strike.
In Baghdad, at Saddam's own burning oil trenches
In Baghdad, at the Information Ministry, pre-strike and post-strike photograph.
"DON'T QUITE GET IT" AWARDS
In Baghdad, Iraq, Peter Arnett tries to resuscitate Saddam
and his odious regime, paid for by MSNBC and CNN and National Geographic.
In Baghdad, Baathists and terrorists save portraits of Saddam from the rubble.
In Baghdad, Greek reporteress purports destruction of Baghdad's press center.
[Probably by the Iraqis again, like with the SAMs. Note the boards not even broken or burnt].
DEAD MEN WALKING
In Baghdad, downtown, at the future "Ozymandius" statue, enemy Iraqis perform
last hubric rights for their fellow Baath and Tikrit rulers.
On the trail of Tareq Aziz, Iraqi Deputy Premier, stooges attempting to prop up
a dying regime.
In Baghdad, the Iraqi State TV Studio, before and after air strikes.
========= Coaltion Forces Rule =========
========= H2 - western Iraq =========
Coaltion Forces took the western airfields.
Iraqi plane, located at H2 airfield in western Iraq, being shot up by AC-130 gunships.
========= To the North =========
Coaltion heroes in a convoy of freedom pass Kurd fighters.
========= Near Kirkuk =========
Near Kirkuk, Iraqis fled.
========= Near Arbil =========
South of Arbil, Kurd Peshmerga took more Iraqi territory,
as Iraqis retreated again. They Kurds use map is for their new-won turf.
========= Mosul =========
Mosul - Missile Facility and Enemy gets Shock and Awe
In Mosul, Coalition explosions rise from enemy locations.
In Mosul, Missile Facility, pre and post strike.
========= To the South =========
========= Al Hindiyah =========
Al Hindiyah - Red Badge of Courage at the Euphrates River
In Al Hindiyah, at the Euphrates River, heroes of the 3rd Infantry Division
took the critical bridge.
In Al Hindiyah, at the Euphrates River, at the front of battle,
Iraqis yearning to be free run through the crossfire to America and the Coalition forces.
Why would a woman risk her life to flee to the American champions? Freedom.
Why would the man risk HIS life to help the woman, who
while fleeing was shot down with a critical hip wound? American hero.
In Al Hindiyah, Iraq, the wall of the "police station"
In Al Hindiyah, Iraq, ~120 klicks southwest of Baghdad,
US Army heroes gave cigarettes and food to Iraqi prisoners,
here at a local police station. The POWs said the Iraqi police
had not fed them for three days before they evacuated the town
in advance of the invading U.S. Army.
========= Abu al Khasib =========
In Abu al Khasib, in 'Operation James', heroes of the British Commando Regiment Royal Artillery fire at
an Iraqi military stronghold outside the city of Basra in southern Iraq.
There was a 15 hour overnight firefight.
In Abu al Khasib, a Russian T-55 tank smoulders as
POWs get medical care denied to Americans and British taken by the evil Iraqis.
In the Date Groves, south of Basra, at the front lines, British Military Queens Dragoon Guards,
fire at Iraqi positions.
========= Thunbah Al Hamra =========
In Thunbah Al Hamra, Iraq, valiant Desert Rats took
the Baath Party Headquarters.
========= Battle of, and Exodus from, Basra =========
Battle of, and Exodus from, Basra
In Basra, British heroes on a Lynx 2.
In Basra, Iraqis wanting freedom immediately, flee the evil regime
even under threat of death from the terrorists. Shelling and machine gun fire is ongoing.
In Basra, many of the fleeing make it to the checkpoint of freedom.
In Basra, those fleeing are protected by champions of Irish Guards.
In Basra, Iraq, an Iraqi soldier surrenders to coalition heroes.
In Basra, discarded Iraqi gas masks laying in piles around the city.
========= Frederick =========
In Frederick, Maryland, at the Patriotic rally,.
========= New York =========
In New York, a Patriotic rally at the World Trade Center.
-----------------------
Please spend a few hours today helping for success in the War for Enduring Freedom,
or/and post your thought, missive, picture, thread, analysis, greetings to those serving overseas,
venting, update, correction, observation, or anything else of interest.
END OF TRANSMISSION 4/2/03 .......... K
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| Darrin, I don't care if Samantha turned you into a spider monkey. I want that Dinsdale presentation on my desk by 5 o'clock this evening, or you're FIRED! |
Not long now...
This NOAA satellite image taken Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at 1:42 a.m. EST (9:42 a.m. Iraq local time) shows smoke plumes visible southwest of Baghdad, Iraq. U.S.-led forces bombed and battled Iraqi troops across a large arc south of Baghdad on Tuesday, a day-and-night pounding meant to pave the way for an attack on the capital.
After you've carried a Gimpy for a few days, you'll never mistake it for anything else. Thing is, about everyone uses it or the original Belgian MAG version- the Israelis, the Rhodesians, even the Argentines in the Falklands. The US has been using the things as the M240, first as a tanker's MG, then in the Infantry vehicles, and now generally replacing the M60 machinegun of the Vietnam War period. But the giveaway that the gunner is a Brit is the camouflage band on his Mark 6 *puddin bowl* helmet.
Speaking of firearms, there don't seem to be any major complaints popping up regarding either the US or UK weapons performance. After that brouhaha over the Brit rifles last year, that's encouraging.
The Royal Marines have still been grumbling, though most of the mechanized infantry, the paras and the Gurkhas don't seem to be. It may reflect some maintenance or lubrication procedure not particularly compatable with the saltwater enviornment that the Marines and SBS are particularly involved with, or possibly just some variation in procedures or methods that still remains a problem. I was quite happy with the L85A1s that I've carried now and again, though the things are a bit heavy- they're compact, but not lightweight. The real flaw was the repeated firing pin breakage, and a change in materials, heattreatment and the associated spring and carrier in which the pin travelled seem to have that problem beaten. And the new wider cocking handle, which allows a serious grasp of the bolt handle for cocking or charging a new magazine is a real help, and aklso serves as a brass deflector to keep ejected HOT brass cases out of the eyes and shirt front ond from bouncing off the shooter's nose.
Now, what sort of sniper rifle is that Dragoon putting to use up above?
That's an L96A1 sniper's rifle, known as the *Arctic Weapon* or AW, the replacement for the venerable old Enfield #4Mk1*[T] that served through WWII, in the deserts of Oman and Aden, and finally in the Falklands, with a rebarrelling to the 7,62 NATO cartridge in the early 1960s and a redesignation as the L42A1.
The L96 is genuinely revered, and several different telescopic sights are available for it, in magnification levels from 6x to 10x, a bit better than the old Enfield's 4x wartime optical sight. And there are other nice features of the L96A1, but of most importance, it's a real tack-driver.
The 80-some improvements of the H&K modifications of the L85A1/SA80 rifle, now designated L85A2, seem to have produced a rifle that works, and the longer barrel of the bullpup design combined with the SUSAT scope always was regarded as being both particularly accurate, certainly a worthy feature in desert and mountain fighting, as well as compact, helpful for those fighting in cities and built-up areas and from helicopters and tanks. But though the sniper's tool remains a bit cumbersome, it's still favoured by those with the skills to use it, as per this pic of a Gurkha shooter showing off his AW to a US General officer in Kosovo.
British troops of the first Royal Regiment of Fusiliers unload a truck full of supplies in the village of Imam Anas, near Basra, Iraq, in this Saturday, March 29, 2003, Central Command handout photo.
According to military officials, Imam Anas is the first village in Iraq where a ration card system has been put in place by coalition forces with the purpose of ensuring that supplies are distributed fairly.
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