Free Republic

US MARINES supported by tanks, attack helicopters and F18 jets were fighting Iraqi forces on the southern outskirts of Tikrit last night. American forces were targeted on the approach roads as a column of 300 armoured vehicles moved on the birthplace of Saddam Hussein and his tribal stronghold. Artillery exchanges and automatic gunfire erupted as the Marines approached the town. A reporter on the scene said that five Iraqi tanks had been destroyed when the Marines called in air support. Scores of Cobra attack helicopters and F18 jets were seen over Tikrit. The fighting followed an appeal by 15 tribal...

COALITION commanders were optimistic yesterday the battle for Saddam Hussein’s birthplace, Tikrit, could be won quickly. Unmanned Predator surveillance aircraft have flown over the last big Iraqi city not under coalition control and revealed few defences and no sign of the Adnan Republican Guard Division or regular army troops. Those left may not have much fight in them, said Brigadier-General Vincent Brooks, a coalition forces spokesman at Central Command in Qatar. “We know there is still military equipment in Tikrit area off to the west and in the east,” he said. “It may be there is not much fight left...