IRAQ WAR NEWS - opinion "free"

[Craptacular]

I'm proposing that we use this thread to post news and reports from websites, TV networks, etc. I think this would be a nice way to compile news reports for each other without getting into debates. If you hear or see some relevant news, please post it here. Thanks.

[KWhit]

OK. According to one of NBC's In-beds, ground troops are on the move and are nearing the Iraqi border. Heavy artillary is currently bombarding Southern Iraq.

[Ben E Lou]

Good call Crapt. I'm stickying this. Guys, lets obey the guidelines he set out.

[Ben E Lou]

Fleischer said that intelligence has made no final conclusion regarding the validity of the porported Hussein video tape.

[Craptacular]

I have the CBS News webcast on in the background, so I'll be relaying their news.

3rd infantry has been deployed across the border.

[Anrhydeddu]

Maybe a little dated but it answered some of my questions.

A senior military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said military intelligence was picking up signs and "circumstantial evidence" that Saddam and his senior leadership were either incapacitated or out of communication with battlefield commanders. It was too early to say if they were killed or wounded.

"We are seeing no coordinated response to our first attack," the official said. "It's little things here and there. Some individual commanders are hunkering down while others are launching small attacks and setting fires."

The limited and targeted attack has led many nations to reassess the war against Iraq. Rumsfeld said that the coalition of the willing -- the group of countries in support of the action now dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom -- is growing since the pre-attack hours and is now larger than the allied force that liberated Kuwait from Saddam's grip in 1991.

Rumsfeld also said that people in Iraq -- both military and civilian -- were realizing that their "liberation will soon be at hand." With that knowledge, Iraq's soldiers had already started surrendering and more defections were expected in the short term.

"[The Iraqi people] have to be fearful of that regime because that regime kills people every day to enforce obedience," he said. "Once they are persuaded that regime is history ... then their behavior begins to tip and change.

"When I said we had good evidence, not only do we have good evidence, we have broad and detailed evidence, that there are people going through that decision-making process throughout that country today and that is a good thing," Rumsfeld added.

[RonnieDobbs]

Air raid sirens once again sound over Baghdad.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

NBC NEWS Jim Miklazewski reports 3rd ID has breached the lines and are in Iraq .Also 3rd ID Artillery opening their barrage on Iraqi positions .

[Craptacular]

CBS:

Saddam (or lookalike) has been shown on Iraqi TV, supposedly holding a cabinet meeting.

[KWhit]

Another tape of Saddam was released - in this one he's meeting with his senior staff. This one really looks like Saddam, but no-one knows if it was really from today, yet.

I just saw it on CNN and it does look like him.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

NBC : Marines make contact with Iraqi soldiers outside Basra .
Artillery hitting Iraqi positions in Basra .

[KWhit]

Qusay Hussein (Saddam's son and heir apparent) was not in the video of Saddam and the cabinet. He almost always is at these meetings. There is speculation that he may have been killed in the bombing last night (but who the hell knows).

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

nbc: footage of marines firing artillery .

[RonnieDobbs]

Daschle on NBC right now. Sounding contrite.

[Ben E Lou]

Major anti-aircraft fire going off in Baghdad now.

[Ben E Lou]

CNN footage looking like '91 right now.

[RonnieDobbs]

NBC: anti-aircraft fire opens over Baghdad, Brokaw hints could be start of Operation: Shocknawe

[KWhit]

Live shot of a Baghdad building exploding. My God...

[GrantDawg]

"Shocknawe" has begun.

[CamEdwards]

Actually Grant, according to Fox News this in NOT yet a part of shock and awe.

[RonnieDobbs]

Headline on cnn.com: SOURCE: MARINES INTO IRAQ.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by CamEdwards
Actually Grant, according to Fox News this in NOT yet a part of shock and awe.

According to NBC it was, and according to CNN they heard it both ways. It doesn't look like now.

[KWhit]

The footage I've seen was pretty shocking and awe-inspiring to me, but we'll see.


Right now, there is a pause in the bombing of Baghdad.

[CamEdwards]

ABC News just reporting 30 Iraqi soldiers surrendered about 12 hours ago to a scouting force just over the border.

FOX news also reporting Senior Republican Guards want to surrender.

[RonnieDobbs]

nbc now reporting that this is NOT shocknawe, and that we'll know once shocknawe has begun. it will be like nothing seen before... eek.

[Bee]

CBS radio is reporting also that the many senior Republican Guard want to surrender.

[vtbub]

Various media reports that this afternoon's attack on Baghdad and invaision are not the shock and awe.

[CamEdwards]

Bush and his cabinet might be speaking at 2:45 Eastern.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

nbc news beaking :
Suspected terrorist being sought in US ....Maybe planning a major attack .

[Ben E Lou]

CNN: Iraqi television reporting that they shot down a U.S. helicopter.

[RonnieDobbs]

link

for the terrorist suspect

[Bee]

Originally posted by SkyDog
CNN: Iraqi television reporting that they shot down a U.S. helicopter.

CBS is reporting this is thought to be the one that crashed earlier and we blew up.

[CamEdwards]

Fox reporting an Apache helicopter on the Iraq/Kuwait border made a "precautionary landing" due to mechanical problems. ABC news is reporting the helicopter WAS shot down, but there were no casualties.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

NBC NEWs: Same info being read out every 2 minutes .

[GrantDawg]

Fox: The US has asked all nations to expell diplomats from their countries.

[RonnieDobbs]

bush speaking now

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Tom Brokaw : President pays tribute to the men and women in uniform.

[Ben E Lou]

More air-raid sirens going off in Baghdad.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Las Vegas : Lots of BlackHawk helicopters flying overhead ,saw a few loaded with troops through my binoculars .

[Craptacular]

CBS:

Some missiles fired by Iraq were SCUDS, which Iraq of course claimed they didn't have.

edit: OK, I should listen a little better. Some sources think a couple may have been SCUDS, but no one has confirmed it.

[CamEdwards]

Grant and CHEMICAL,

clarification please.

[GrantDawg]

All I know is that an American diplomat told Fox news that the US has asked for all countries to expell Iraqi diplomats. I imagine that is to show that they are no longer in power/going to be no longer in power.

[CamEdwards]

ah. wasn't sure if whose diplomats we were referring to. And Chemical, I don't need clarification. I misread and thought you said "black helicopters" filled with troops.

[GrantDawg]

Fox: Air raid sirens over Mosul in Northern Iraq, an important base for Americans to take early.

[Fritz]

(sorry about the formatting)

From the CNO

1. SOON, OUR NATION WILL CALL UPON YOU, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF
OUR NAVY, TO MEET THE NEXT CHALLENGE IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.
WHEN THE PRESIDENT ADDRESSED THE WORLD MONDAY, HE SAID, "THE UNITED
STATES AND OTHER NATIONS DID NOTHING TO DESERVE OR INVITE THIS
THREAT. BUT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING TO DEFEAT IT. INSTEAD OF DRIFTING
ALONG TOWARD TRAGEDY, WE WILL SET A COURSE TOWARD SAFETY." YOUR
EFFORTS IN LEADING THE DEFENSE OF THE NATION AWAY FROM OUR OWN
SHORES AND OUR OWN HOMES IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THAT SAFETY.
AFTER ALL, WE KNOW ABOUT SETTING A PROPER COURSE - AND WE ARE READY.

2. THIS IS THE MOST READY NAVY I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY CAREER. OVER
HALF OF OUR NAVY, 167 SHIPS, ARE FORWARD DEPLOYED AND ON-STATION
AROUND THE GLOBE, TAKING SOVEREIGN POWER TO THE FAR CORNERS OF THE
EARTH. SEVEN OF TWELVE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, NINE OF OUR TWELVE BIG
DECK AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS (LHA/LHD), AND DOZENS OF SURFACE SHIPS,
SUBMARINES, AIRCRAFT, SEALS, SEABEES AND SUPPORT COMMANDS ARE
DEPLOYED. MORE THAN 130 SEALIFT SHIPS ARE SUPPORTING THE JOINT
FORCE
HALF A WORLD AWAY. NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR
ENERGY, EXPERTISE AND DEDICATION. YOU ARE PROVING EVERYDAY THE
UNIQUE AND LASTING VALUE OF DECISIVE, SOVEREIGN, LETHAL FORCES
PROJECTING OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE POWER FROM THE VAST MANEUVER
AREA THAT IS THE SEA.

3. WHEN YOU RAISED YOUR RIGHT HAND, TOOK THE OATH, AND DONNED THE
SAILOR'S UNIFORM, YOU CHOSE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE SERVICE OF
THIS NATION - AND YOU ARE. REST ASSURED, YOUR SERVICE IS
UNQUESTIONED; YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA AND YOUR FAMILIES. THEY CARE, AND THEY BELIEVE IN
YOU. MAKE THEM PROUD. I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD TO SERVE WITH YOU.

4. YOU ARE PART OF THE GREATEST JOINT AND COMBINED MILITARY FORCE
EVER ASSEMBLED. IF OUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF GIVES THE SIGNAL, FIGHT
AND WIN.

[DeftRevisited]

Pretty sorry that I get my news from a text football sim message board. Oh well, great job! Keep it up!

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by DeftRevisited
Pretty sorry that I get my news from a text football sim message board. Oh well, great job! Keep it up!

Hey, we are doing a better job than Drudge.

[Ben E Lou]

Iraqi TV reporting that 72 missiles hit Baghdad today.

[sabotai]

CNN says the Coalition is up to 40 countries now.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by GrantDawg
All I know is that an American diplomat told Fox news that the US has asked for all countries to expell Iraqi diplomats. I imagine that is to show that they are no longer in power/going to be no longer in power.

CNN is confirming this and that the US wants banks to freeze Iraqi assets.