Will They Fight? Retired Army counterintelligence officer Says Iraq Will Not fight for Saddam

Wall Street Journal ^ | Wednesday, March 12, 2003 | Col. STUART HERRINGTON

[pittsburgh gop guy]

Twelve years ago, I led a top secret team of interrogation specialists in a covert location "somewhere in the Middle East." Our mission was to interrogate Saddam Hussein's senior officers whom we expected to capture as a result of the fierce ground offensive of U.S. and coalition forces. We were confident of a swift victory, in spite of the bombardment of pre-war hype by defense and media pundits.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

Interesting article, I hope he is right.

[ladtx]

Hell yes he's right. Iraqi soldiers are already trying to surrender to British troops who were only testing weapons a couple of days ago. Imagine what they'll do when the aircraft and tanks being to roll.

[SSG Rock]

Well, a bunch of Iraqi soldiers tried to surrender to elements of the British Army who were doing some live fire training last week. LOL! And from my experience from Gulf War I, I'd say most of the Iraqi troops will surrender, the Republican Guard will probably fight although they will be smashed. They simply don't possess the training, equipment nor the will of the Americans. To us, it's personal now, not good for the Iraqi's.

[GrandMoM]

I pray he's right!!!!!!

[angkor]

I'm guessing the whole thing will last three weeks, max.

Once they see Americans in Baghdad, the Iraqui regulars will probably turn their weapons on the Republican Guard.

[ladtx]

I'm guessing the whole thing will last three weeks, max.

Think it will go that long? I'm thinking days rather than weeks.

[billorites]

"I'm guessing the whole thing will last three weeks, max."

Yeah, if it ever gets started.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

A couple of these might help.

A Massive Ordnance Air Blast, or MOAB, weapon is prepared for testing at the Eglin Air Force Armament Center on Tuesday, March 11, 2003. The Air Force tested the MOAB, the biggest conventional bomb in the U.S. arsenal on Tuesday, March 11, 2003, in Florida. (AP Photo/Department of Defense)

[The Toad]

Another general officer recalled, "In January, a Ministry of Defense delegation was supposed to tell Saddam the truth about our state of unreadiness in the south, and urge him to order withdrawal from Kuwait. But when they met with Saddam, they lost their nerve and instead pledged the undying loyalty of the armed forces to his leadership and wisdom."

Still another reason why dictatorships usually end up being destroyed. Fear of the dictator promotes lies.

[ExpatCanuck]

Once they see Americans in Baghdad, the Iraqui regulars will probably turn their weapons on the Republican Guard.

If they are given the chance I believe they will do so. It's hard not to feel sympathy for the Iraqi army regulars. I hope they have the good sense not to fight.

[geedee]

And I'm hoping we don't leave it to the military to negotiate the "cease-fire" like we did after Desert Storm. We need seasoned negotiators doing that.

Colin Powell, some might ask? Hell no!

I say we let the "Hit Man" do our negotiating. Donald Rumsfeld. He ain't much of a diplomat . . . but one never has to search for a dictionary or a translator to get his drift. I know he's liable to piss off some allies but we're not playing jacks.

We want someone who'll go for the jugular and keep their hands around our enemies' throats until they either die or unconditionally capitulate.

Donald Rumsfeld . . . Ann Coulter . . . Condi Rice . . . Charles Krauthammer . . . or my First Grade teacher, Mrs. Lewis . . . real precise and MEAN bastards -- and/or the female version of the same -- that's who we need setting out the terms. Any of those folks will do. They only see two colors -- black and white.

But no more Generals and no more Diplomats . . . blacks and whites only, ain't gonna be no gray areas this time.

[wayoverontheright]

Great article, I just faxed it to a friend of mine who has a son with the 101st airborne in Kuwait. It certainly made me feel a little better about our men and women who are about to head into battle.

[RightField]

<One deputy division commander, a good English speaker, sheepishly confessed that he spent his last night before capture teaching the division staff enough English ("Help! I love Boosh.") so that they could surrender to the Americans (none wanted to surrender to the Kuwaitis or the British.

hehe

[rogers21774]

Here's my prediction. Realizing that this war is about the removal of Saddam, and recognizing the utter futility of putting up any resistance, a member (or several) of Saddam's inner circle will turn against Saddam once the war begins and assasinate him. There will be very little resistance from the Iraqi military. Even the Republican Gaurd will not fight for a dead man. When they're convinced that Saddam is really dead, Iraqi citizens will take to the streets in mass celebration, welcoming the American military forces as heros.

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Bob]

From the article:

...the Iraqi army was routed as perhaps no army in modern times, all with negligible coalition casualties.

I wish people wouldn't use the word negligible when referring to the number of Gulf War casualties. There were casualties in that war and each one was both a personal and family loss.

The number of casualties may have been minimal (or lighter than anticipated, or whatever phrase you'd prefer) but the word negligible denigrates their sacrifices.

</rant>

[1Old Pro]

There really is no way Sadam can actually "fight" us and expect to win anything. I expect mass surrenders and a quick resolution. The ONLY thing Saddam can do to complicate things would be to unleash chemical and biological weapons, most of the dead would certainly be his own people.

The best possible outcome would be if a senior trusted insider shoots Saddam's little brains out in the next week.

[ken5050]

We have to pictures...one of Iraqi soldiers digging trenches and filling sandbags in Bagdad, and the other of the US's new MOAB weapon....there's a slight disconnect here..

[astounded]

In that regard, it will really stink to be one of saddam's several "body doubles". Those guys must be pis**** their pants by now. LOL.

[xsrdx]

the word negligible denigrates their sacrifices.

Indeed, an excellent point and worth repeating. It was a war that went our way, but it was not without sacrifice.

The Iraqi regular army and Hammurabi/Tawalkana Division soldiers we took as POW's in ODS were, in almost every case, overjoyed to see us, because it meant three things - 1. They would no longer be subject to air bombardment, 2. They would be fed - most had not eaten in several days, and 3. They would live to see another day.

There is remarkably little for the "average" Iraqi soldier to gain by fighting nobly for his fearless leader - just like the first time around, they KNOW we aren't interested in "conquest" or even "Jihad", and by surrendering they may be headed to a better way of life.