[jriemer]

(Gen) Franks' orders to Colonel Don Holder, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment commander, were to avoid a decisive engagement (???). Holder's troops had successfully destroyed one Iraqi battalion strong point, but there were still at least six or seven more battalions waiting for the US regiment, which did not have the combat power to break through the Tawakalna's defenses. Holder, therefore ordered his squadrons to hold at their current positions and prepare to pass the 1st Infantry Division, which had moved behind the Regiment, forward.

Am I reading too much into this but is this positive or negative reflection on Gen. Franks?

[SAMWolf]

My read is that Franks didn't want the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment getting into anything it couldn't handle until more support could be brought up. Overly cautious? Maybe, but he was the Commander on the ground at the time and based his decisions on informatiion he had at the time..

[Iris7]

The Second Armored Cavalry Regiment was functioning as VII Corps reconnaisance. They were to develop the situation in order to return intelligence to General Franks. In a Corps level armored attack only very severe blows against the enemy will allow discovery of exact position, defense readiness, personell quality, etc. Franks was just allowing his reconnaisance elements to live to fight again, when their special talents would be very usefull. So the heavy forces were passed through the Cavalry to continue the attack. Fewer American dead that way, more very tough Republican Guards dead that way. A good job.