Iraq Threatens Suicide Attacks Against U.S. Troops

Reuters ^ | 2/1/03

[areafiftyone]

BERLIN (Reuters) - Iraq will launch thousands of suicide attackers against American troops if the United States invades, Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan told German magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday.

"We are looking forward to the time when they have finished with air bombardments and send in ground troops against us. They will come up against very hard resistance everywhere," Ramadan told the weekly magazine.

"We do not have long-range rockets or bomber squadrons, but we will deploy thousands of suicide attackers... martyrs. These are our new weapons and they will not just be used in Iraq," he said.

Ramadan said the United States would be confronted with a "sea of opposition" in the Middle East, particularly in places like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia where U.S. troops were stationed.

"The Arab people will stand by the Iraqi people in the battle for its independence and freedom. It will be a conflagration in the entire region," he said.

"It will be worse for them than ever before."

Ramadan said talk of Saddam Hussein and Iraqi other leaders going into exile was ridiculous.

He said Iraq would cooperate fully with United Nations weapons inspectors. The United States accuses Iraq of amassing weapons of mass destruction and says it will disarm the country by force if necessary.

[Asclepius]

We are looking forward to the time when they have finished with air bombardments and send in ground troops against us.

Indeed. Only how many of "you" will there be left to receive us?

[evolved_rage]

Iraq will launch thousands of suicide attackers against American troops if the United States invades, Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan told German magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday

You mean they won't surrender in droves this time??? They almost made France look valiant back in '91.

[LuvUSA]

Hmmm. It tooh four years in to WWII for the Japanese to start suicide attcks... You men to tell me the iraqis are already declring defeat "before" the war has statred , therefore resorting to suicide attacks?? History has shopwn these animals have never been able to organize in a traditional military form.

[Capriole]

Uh huh. We remember how gallantly they fought in '91. Terrifying.

Yes, it's been difficult to avoid noticing how much the Iraqis don't want to be martyred for Saddam, Mohammed, or anybody else. Last time they were full of themselves and they still surrendered by the thousands; this time they're already quaking in their boots because they remember what happened last time! I doubt they'll march forward at all without bayonets at their backs.

[Marauder]

I submit that any attacks at all by Iraqi ground troops will be suicide missions.

[LuvUSA]

Hmmm. It took four years in to WWII for the Japanese to start suicide attacks... You mean to tell me the Iraqis are already declaring defeat "before" the war has started, therefore resorting to suicide attacks?? History has shown these animals have never been able to organize in a traditional military manner. They are undisciplined. They will always have to resort to these tactics. Thats why Israel kicked ass in only a week. These poeple are weak. The only reason Sadamm has been in power is because he has completley disamed his people. If he not a coward, then why has he done this as well as "recruit" several body doubles??? COWARD!!!!!

[Marauder]

Q: What's this? (picture of soldiers holding arms up)
A: French troops on war maneuvers.

[monocle]

The Japan had its kamikaze pilots. The North Koreans and the Chinese had their wave of humans attacks in the Korean war. This type of attack is not new and has never been decisive in any war. At the very most this is an admission of desperation and a display of an utter disregard for human life. Where does one line up to buy futures of virgins?

[Gamecock]

They almost made France look valiant back in '91.

ROFLOL!

[stevem]

This doesn't sound like a very good strategy for an outfit that was already planning victory celebrations only a week or so ago.

I once read somewhere that at the end of WWII, before the atom bombs were dropped, Japanese authorities were training the locals for a last line of defense. It was to be women and children armed with broom sticks (or the equivalent) attacking American machine gun nests. It was a strategy designed (together with big guns from ships and bombs from planes firebombing every city they could find) to get a great deal more Japanese killed than died in those two nuclear attacks.

It sounds like Hussein is planning a similar strategy designed to get Iraqis killed to the last man woman and child. Something tells me there will be lots of suicide bombers that will think life is sweeter once they get free of the looney toon dictator. I still think the best possible outcome would be for Hussein and all of the inner circle to be taken alive, to be turned over the the Kurds or the folks in Basra for their trials. The trials, of course, wouldn't start until the indicted all confessed to capital crimes. Seems fair to me.

[Vigilanteman]

Here is a hint for all Iraqi suicide attackers:

It is much more dramatic if you dress up in Islamic holy green and attack tanks in human waves in the fields before they reach the cities. If you hide behind the walls of a building, the building may get damaged and you will die like a cornered rat. There is no honor in that.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

No joke, the Iraqis were surrendering to CNN camera crews amd reconnaissance drone planes.

[chance33_98]

Also see this from the arab press: Saddam: Iraqi soldiers should learn from Palestinians, al-Qaeda forces how to resist

[areafiftyone]

I have a feeling Saddam is going to gas his own people and blame it on the U.S.

[Tax-chick]

Something tells me there will be lots of suicide bombers that will think life is sweeter once they get free of the looney toon dictator.

Good point! If they're ready to die, why don't they get together and take down Saddam? Sure he's got armed guards, but how many rounds do they have? The Romanians did it!

[martin_fierro]

Oh, riiiight.

This from the people who threatened the "Mother of All Battles."

[LouD]

Here's a news flash for them:

Any attack on U.S. troops, by definition, will be a suicide attack.

[pabianice]

Let's face it: any Iraqi attack against US troops is suicide...

[The Great Satan]

"We do not have long-range rockets or bomber squadrons, but we will deploy thousands of suicide attackers... martyrs. These are our new weapons and they will not just be used in Iraq," he said.

I would count on it.