Posted on 04/12/2003 11:21:20 PM PDT by Mister Magoo
Outskirts of Saddam's Tikrit Deserted - CNN Sun April 13, 2003 02:11 AM ET
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Approaches to Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, the last major Iraqi city not yet controlled by U.S. forces, looked deserted on Sunday with no fighters or armor visible, according to live footage shot by CNN.
CNN correspondent Brent Sadler drove into the northern outskirts of the town from Mosul. His footage showed an abandoned military base around eight km (five miles) from the city center, with destroyed artillery and empty tanks.
"I've not seen one single symbol of authority in the last hour of transmission," Sadler said. "Where is everybody? Where are the soldiers? Where are the final divisions of the Republican Guard?"
The town of 200,000 people, on the banks of the Tigris river 175 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad, is Saddam's hometown and stronghold. After hearing explosions from the city and seeing people heading out carrying their belongings, the CNN's security advisers instructed Sadler's convoy to turn back.
Sadler had entered a huge military complex on the outskirts of the city which had clearly been bombed by U.S.-led forces with the ruins of dozens of destroyed warehouses still containing serviceable equipment.
He noted the fact no looting appeared to have taken place suggested either the town was still in the control of Saddam loyalists or everyone had fled Tikrit.
Scores of armored personnel carriers, some covered in rubble, were parked around the shattered buildings or inside those warehouses which had escaped destruction.
U.S. generals have said even though Saddam's forces had melted away after American soldiers took control of Baghdad last week, reinforcements had been seen digging around Tikrit, the last of Saddam's bastions yet to be taken by U.S.-led forces.
CNN TAKES TIKRIT?
Sadler and his TV crew passed a few civilian vehicles and just small groups of men on foot, one armed, on a road into the city, but they just waved back at them.
They camped outside the city during the night and were approached by what they believed were members of Saddam's Baath party, who only asked them for identification.
The CNN convoy of seven vehicles entered the northern approaches of the town driving under two scimitar-shaped arches and the guard post on the side of the road was empty.
A spokeswoman at Central Command war headquarters in Qatar said she had no comment on U.S. military action in Tikrit, but joked: "We're hearing that CNN has taken Tikrit."
U.S. Army Brigadier General Vincent Brooks, speaking at a briefing at Central Command on Saturday, said the U.S. military remained focused on the Tikrit area.
"Tikrit is one of the areas where we still have concern that there may be presence of regime forces." Brooks said.
"We may find that there's not much fight left, but some of the recent operations indicate that there's still some fighting to do," he added.
"We're certainly focused on Tikrit to prevent (Saddam's) regime from being able to use it as a place to restore command and control, or to hide," Brooks said on Wednesday.
Saddam's whereabouts remain a mystery but U.S. military leaders said last week they had control of the main road from Baghdad to Tikrit, suggesting he would be unable to bolt north.
Saddam's concentration of power in the hands of his closest family, and distrust of most people outside his own Albu Nasir tribe, meant that Tikritis formed the backbone of his most loyal military forces.
So instead of crumbling like the rest of the country in the face of U.S. invaders, some had suggested that Tikrit -- birthplace of the 12th century Muslim warrior Saladin -- might provide stiffer resistance.
Some observers speculate that elements of Saddam's alleged weapons of mass destruction program, which formed the central plank of Washington's case for war but whose existence remain unproven, could be hidden around Tikrit.
Many experts believe the city is also a nerve center for Iraqi security services and command-and-control infrastructures.
http://home.attbi.com/~mrgrumman/BinLadenSaddamCave.JPG
Please remember that we learned this week that CNN is part of Saddam's regeime and there fore can't "take Tikrit"l
No, I don't have it Grampa. Sorry. I even perused Daryl Cagle's site, but I didn't find it. I KNOW it still exists, just as another URL. That 'toon is bound to be on his site somewhere, but there are SOOoooo many there.
If you come across it, let me know and I can do the same with it as I did with that other one. If you recall who you got it from, they might know? . . .
I found this one on Cowboy Bush:
He'll just shoot down one at a time, in the right order ! :O)
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