"A large contingent of Iraq’s Republican Guard headed south in a convoy of at least 1,000 vehicles toward U.S. Marines in central Iraq on Wednesday — an area that already has seen the heaviest fighting of the war. The advance appeared to signal that the Republican Guard, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s best-trained and most loyal force, was still prepared to go on the offensive despite several days of allied airstrikes and missile attacks on its positions."

http://msnbc.com/news/870749_asp.htm?0cv=CA01

Should be interesting. Saddam's big counter-offensive in Gulf War I was a huge mistake.

Advantages: Takes advantage of (assumably still) limited air capabilities with sandstorm.
Disadvantages: Places equipment in the open away from defensive positions.

the flyboys would love it if they do move out into the open. It's a pain to not be able to shoot because of collateral damage that their dealing with in the city areas.
Would be a turkey shoot, just like '91 hiway of hell scene.

suicide....

Thing is, we should be careful - if we spank their asses - they will run back into city, and then they all will go in.... I think we should feint a defeat... fight a little, make it tough,but then retreat.... to embolden them....

Then we can build up theri confidence about beatng us in the open, and hopefully can get more out.... then once they are out, we can finally open up and KILL THEM ALL.

I heard that this morning too and couldn't help but smile. Saddam's military expertise must come from playing with little army men - cause that move is about as stupid as any I've seen him make. He got his ass handed to him in the open desert last time.

I wonder if the U.S. will use that big bomb tested a few weeks ago on their advancing troops or pick them off 1 by 1

Decisions.... Decisions.....

i may be a little cynical, but i am watching this on the news and it seems a little more that a decision from within has been made to intentionally destroy a lot of their best hardware and soldiers by sending them out into the open in the middle of the desert and away from Bagdad. no air support. nothing. just a column of good hardware and some of their best soldiers going out into the open.

a sandstorm may stop an Apache, might impede an A10... buts its definately not going to stop fighter planes, B-2's and tanks which are superior in every way possible... most importantly by range.

the worst nightmare would be to force a fight inside bagdad. why send the troops out of bagdad to certain destruction?

the same thing is happening near Basra? why would they leave Basra when they know that the people there have revolted several times already and after several slaughters are certainly at risk to do so again?

Saddam tried a counteroffensive a few days into the first Gulf War; when the skies were clear and his chances even worse.

I may be mistaken but I think only the Special Republican Guard is permitted inside Baghdad because of Saddam's (founded) fears of a coup.

If we all think it's a stupid move...don't you think Saddam would have thought of that?

I mean, there MUST be a method to his madness of sending out these troops....I don't trust it....

I think the US needs to be VERY careful and think of all the reasons why Saddam might do this save the thought that he is being 'stupid'.....if he was already defeated this way once....I think he would have learned and adapted....like the borg. :ph34r:

This assumes Saddam has accurate information. I don't at all think Saddam is stupid. Problem is, as has been reported in many places before (high-command Iraqi defectors, etc), Saddam's chain of command and information flow only goes down - never up. Disagreement may be punished severely - firing squad is not worth it. You don't want to be Saddam's messenger. Best information Saddam could get in his regime would be to watch CNN.

Saddam: "I think we should counterattack. Anyone have any ideas why this might not work?"

Saddam's yes men: silence.

Saddam: "Send the order out".

We can bet our asses CENTCOM isn't sitting around saying "Ah-ha. look at silly Saddam". The fact that there have been a mind-numbingly low number of coalition casualties shows extremely careful planning of the entire campaign so far.

I don't see any evidence that Saddam would not make the same mistake twice.

Saddam fucked with the coalition partners twice. One mistake. Made twice.

CENTCOM confirms the movement.

Will be interesting.

Betcha they get flanked.



Last edited by Colin at Mar 26 2003, 04:22 PM

I hope yer right!! Let's do it!!

UPDATE: "Only" reinforcements to the Medina division?

Sure is foggy out there.

CENTCOM still reporting column heading South.

Still foggy.

Turned out to be a few light vehicles. Probably all destroyed by now...

Ford Pickups.

j/k

Leave my F-150 out of this! :lol:

Leave my F-150 out of this! :lol:[/b][/quote]
And my Full Size Bronco thank you very much....hehehe

In the wild possibility department ....
Who knows if Saddam is alive and who might be issuing orders to Iraqi troops