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The Eurasian Politician - March 2003
by "Abu Charma", 21st March, 2003
Our "El Cid" will give the readers of The Eurasian Politician impressions of the ongoing war in Iraq.
"Abu Charma" continues the diary on Iraq War. The Iraqi harbor Umm Qasr was liberated late on Thursday, and massive aerial bombardments have been directed against Baghdad and Kirkuk. First ranger units have entered the suburbs of Basra.
Today, the war has started by real. As I write this, what Donald Rumsfeld called "the most massive, efficient and destructive aerial attack" is continuing. BBC and other big news agencies are transmitting direct picture of massive explosions in the Baghdad center. Iraqi anti-aircraft battery is shooting with more defiance than efficience.
In "On War", Clausewitz writes about the counterfactors of accident, unpredictable troubles and "human factor" in war. The Anglo-US troops got today sense this in shape of a technical failure. The transport helicopter that crashed took with it eight Royal Marine Commando soldiers and the four men crew of a US Marines transport helicopter.
Also the Iraqis arranged a little surprise by continuing to shoot its missiles to Kuwait, yet again with more defiance than visible results. This is a vengeance for the Kuwaitis' collaboration with Americans.
The Americans have pushed themselves 150-200 kilometers through desert towards Baghdad. The attack has advanced with caution. It is claimed that the Iraqis have blocked part of the invading troops to the area of An-Nasiriyyah. Most obviously, the Americans have taken the task of quick advance to Baghdad, despite the limited threat of the enemy positions left aside. On the desert, the road is free, most probably until As-Samawah and An-Najaf.
The Iraqis seem to concentrate their troops around urban centers. Confusing news are telling about firing and battles in the city of Umm Qasr. Now it seems to be, however, stably taken by US and British troops, despite the attempts of the Iraqi information minister and interior minister to blur the picture.
The Iraqi leadership continues on its defiant lines. The information minister was giving considerations to the media, about whether Western pilots should be treated as terrorists or as mercenaries, both of whom lack the protection of the Geneva Convention. In a media briefing, the interior minister was representing his silver shining AK-47 and vowed the regime is willing to fight. A terrifying news was that Saddam has promised a fee for each American pilot captured alive...
However, it became evident that the regime is pissed of for the new tactics of the Yankees: The Iraqi leadership thought major bombing campaigns would begin immediately from the T time on. But only this night the bombardments have been really crushing. I guess Saddam is haunted by uncertainty about what is going on - if he is still alive and in good shape.
According to the Pentagon, the exact bombings that initiated the war, hit their targets, and it is not known whether the show-up of Saddam's right afterwards was real-time or from a video, and indeed, was the man Saddam himself or one of his double-goers. I would still guess that Saddam's elimination would already have been celebrated if the strikes would have been fully successful. Yet somebody died in the leadership bunker. Also Uday or Qusay would be a very good prey. The BBC, known of political correctness, by the way described Uday quite colourfully: "Medically speaking he has a severe personality disorder, diagnosticized by Cuban doctors. Plainly speaking he is a lunatic murderer and a rapist, after his father or maybe more hated than anybody else in Iraq..."
In the north, the US special troops have most evidently have secured the Kirkuk oilwells, although news agencies are reporting about 30-35 burning oilwells in various districts. An airborn assault is expected, although it might be delayed due to Turkey's decision, or even be cancelled entirely. According to some information, there are enough many American troops in the area, and Kurdish Peshmergas joining them as guides, to secure all the most crucial buildings of oil industry.
In the southern city of Basra, the armored troops have passed the city from west. The fall of Basra is just a question of days, but it remains to be seen, when the troops will enter the city itself. The passing troops have been Americans. It was rumoured that the British would have been reserved the honor of taking over Basra.
Information war is quite hot. Television pictures tell about harsh bombings of Baghdad and its outskirts.
The surprising tactics of the Americans, and of course the resistance of the Iraqi troops may postpone the end of the war with days or even weeks, but the end result remains clear. B-52s are not dropped with assault rifles. And pity on those who will get to the way of American combat helicopters and tanks.
There is a cruel proverb saying: "When there is war, there is war, and there has to be a taste of battle." This is what is little by little being found...
-- Charma