War On Iraq

[PtrToNull]

Well, I'll try to keep this thread updated, you'll probably get your news from where you usually do, but I thought it would be interesting to see this from a perspective of a geek in war :D

Well, the sandstrom is much better now; so I don't think the troops will have visibility problems. Also, since they are going to attack 4:00 am Kuwait time (or so I heard), visibility is not a big issue.

Everything around here is pretty normal, my DSL is working and the local unreal servers are up :)

There is an irony here, in 1990, the Iraqis invaded Kuwait on Thursay at 4:00 am. 12 years later, they are being invaded on Thursday 4:00 am, from Kuwait!

The only thing irritating is all those local soldiers around with tanks and M-16s, kinda reminds me of the invasion. Hopefully nothing bad happens.

[PtrToNull]

This is just in

15 Iraqi soldiers crossed the border to Kuwait and surrendered.

It doesn't look like the war is going to take too long.

[UDawg]

Ohh there will be more. The wole 48 hours was set up to help Saddam's regime implode or to weaken it as much as so the march to bagdag. LOL bag dag.

[Matthyahuw]

GL bro, and thank you, we're behind you here!

[Lucien1964]

This is
LONDON
19/03/03 - War on Iraq section

The war has started
By Robert Fox, Defence Correspondent and David Taylor, Evening Standard

British and American troops were involved in fierce fighting near Iraq's main port today as the war to topple Saddam Hussein began.

The firefight broke out near Basra as men of the Special Boat Service targeted the strategically vital city and the oilfields in southern Iraq.

At the same time allied troops were flooding into the demilitarised zone on the Iraqi border with Kuwait 40 miles away to take up positions for an all-out invasion.

Cruise missiles were also loaded onto B52 bombers at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a clear sign that the bombardment of Baghdad could be only hours away.

British troops taking up "forward battle positions" were ordered to switch off satellite phones and allied warplanes bombed targets in Iraq after coming under fire in the no-fly zone.

By lunchtime, allied forces were in position to strike from the moment the 48-hour deadline set by President Bush for Saddam to quit Iraq expires at 1am British time tomorrow. But the White House had refused to rule out a strike before that.

The fighting reported at Basra was believed to involve British special forces and US marines in an operation to prepare landing sites for amphibious craft during an invasion.

Other special units were deep inside Iraq on secret operations to prepare landing strips in the desert for airborne troops.

Basra, Iraq's only seaport, lies on the Shatt al Arab waterway where the Tigris and the Euphrates open into the northern Gulf.

Surrounded by treacherous sandbanks and marshes it is difficult to approach from the sea.

Artillery, infantry and the tanks of the 7th Armoured Brigade had already moved into Forming Up Positions, and some were already on the start line.

An attack could target Basra and proceed up alongside the Euphrates towards the strategic cities of Nasariya, Najaf and Karbala.

Tony Blair said he believed all MPs, irrespective of their views on the war, now wished British troops well.

"I know everyone in this House wishes our Armed Forces well," he said in the Commons.

A sandstorm whipped across northern Kuwait as the pace of preparations suddenly quickened Kuwaiti security sources disclosed that allied troops move into the demilitarised zone, which straddles the Iraq-Kuwait border, at around 11am local time, 8am UK time.

The source, working in the Umm Qasr area in the east of the zone, said: "American convoys are still driving towards Umm Qasr."

A US military spokesman said he could not confirm or deny that troops were inside the zone.

A British Army spokesman said only that soldiers had taken up " forward battle positions".

At Fairford, 14 giant American B52 bombers which will lead the fight against Saddam were loaded up with cruise missiles this morning.

The first flight of B52s were expected to take off two hours before sunset to give them enough flying time to identify their targets and drop their first devastating payload before heading for home.

The missiles were driven to the aircraft in five articulated lorries escorted by police at 10.30am.

Troops meticulously loaded the weapons - each costing around £1million - into the bomb bays by forklift truck.

With an estimated flight time of only six hours to Iraq the bombers are expected to play a huge part in the initial air bombardment. A single B52 can deliver a payload of more than 70,000lb at a range of 8,800 miles without being refuelled. They are likely to take up positions over the Mediterranean or the Red Sea to unleash cruise missiles or satelliteguided smart bombs. RAF Tornados, Harriers and Jaguars are also likely to be involved in the opening 48-hour offensive.

The Tornados will be given the specific task of taking out air defences and barracks round small missile batteries and air strips in the Iraqi desert.

This will enable the enemy positions to be quickly seized by airborne forces and turned into bases for the advancing allied armies.

The Harrier force of up to 20 planes has the job of supporting special forces, the SAS and Special Boat Service and American Rangers in the hunt for Scud missile sites and any artillery shells with chemical warheads. Intelligence suggests Saddam has given his generals personal authority to unleash the deadly weapons as a last desperate measure to hold the Allies off from attacking Baghdad.

The mainstay of the bombing attack will be the 750 American and British fighter bombers from Gulf bases and the six American aircraft carriers now at battle stations in the Mediterranean and the Arabian Sea.

The aircraft, including RAF Tornados and Harriers, F16s, F15s and F18 Hornets will work on a "taxi rank" basis, forming ranks in the air before being sent in on targets. Along with the B52s from Fairford, other longrange bombers include the almost mythical B2 Spirit bat-wing supersonic aircraft which will fly from bases on Diego Garcia. Also spearheading the attack will be B1B Lancer and F117 Stealth bombers.

Action began in the air today as warplanes from the USS Abraham Lincoln bombed Iraqi positions after coalition aircraft - including two RAF Harrier jets - were fired on by Iraqi forces.

"There were, yesterday, four firings against our aircraft flying in the southern no-fly zone," Rear Admiral John Kelly told reporters on board the Lincoln. He said US forces had responded by bombing "a series of targets" he described as "command and control" positions.






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[LORD-eX-Bu]

not yet. It isn't on until they cross that 6 mile DMZ;)

[UDawg]

Ya this is just normal ops that clear the way for invation. This is to be expected.

[digitalwanderer]

Dude, the war doesn't start for another 2 hours and 15 minutes or so!

Jeeze, I hadn't even made popcorn yet...I thought they'd caught me off guard! :rolleyes:

(Does anyone else plan to spend the night curled up in front of their computer channel surfing the news channels and poking around the web? )

[LORD-eX-Bu]

I'm not planning on sticking around glued to the TV watching the same news over and over again. I am going out tonight with friends, I am 100% confident our servicemen will get the job done, I don't have to sit around and make sure they do, they are the best force in the world:D

[StealthHawk]

Originally posted by digitalwanderer
(Does anyone else plan to spend the night curled up in front of their computer channel surfing the news channels and poking around the web? )

no, i already do that every night....no wait...did i just incriminate myself?

[1stFlight]

I weep too... there is no honor in what we do today. At least I take comfort in that I joined my voice in protests, I spoke my mind, implored my elected representatives, and I tried everything a patriotic citizen could do to avert an unneeded war *sighs* :(

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/reuters20030319_758.html

[Red Dog]

Watchin cbs news right now.

its almost sunrise in baghdad and periodic explosions have erupted in the city.

air raid sirens went off and the sound of sporadic anti-aircraft fire echoed.

a white house pr stated cruise missiles hit a target of opportunity said to be key members of Iraqi leadership.

at 10:15pm the President will address the nation.

lets hope that strike wasted Saddam or other key Iraqi opposition and no civillians were harmed.

[t6_shadow]

Well it a good thing that right won out this time. You and other hippies may not like it but too damn bad. Men like us keep the world safe for those who will never fight for anything.


War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral
and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for
which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature,
and has no chance of being free unless made or kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
--John Stuart Mill

[UDawg]

He is disgusting! This is not the time for that. Now is the time to support our country. He should be ashamed and go back to being a grand wizard fanboy :mad:

[sebazve]

IT HAS STARTED WEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
:rw: :rw: :rw: :rw: :rw: :rw: :rw:

[SicFuc]

http://d0ug.dhs.org/iraq.jpg

[1stFlight]

I AM veteran not a hippy, get it straight. I was one of those men keeping media fed arm chair generals like you safe and warm at night. While I stood under a hot Kuwati sun with people a few miles away who wanted me dead.

And the quote you used, applies on both sides. Again, if you thought for yourself, you'd have realized that.

Originally posted by t6_shadow
Well it a good thing that right won out this time. You and other hippies may not like it but too damn bad. Men like us keep the world safe for those who will never fight for anything.


War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral
and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for
which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature,
and has no chance of being free unless made or kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
--John Stuart Mill

[UDawg]

I hope people will take this war very serious. This nothing to joke about. Please if you cannot act like an adult please don't post. The taking of life is nothing to be taken lightly.

No more trashing of other people opinions. Now is not the time. We as a forum community need to pull together and and act a civil towards each other. I know I am a large instagator but I have and will stop it until the war is over.

[Gargr]

Originally posted by sebazve
IT HAS STARTED WEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
:rw: :rw: :rw: :rw: :rw: :rw: :rw:

Yes, i guess war is fun on TV.

[t6_shadow]

Some of us CAN'T be in the military because of medical reasons. Also if I were able to I would be in the **** NOT some wannbe airforce fan boy. I would also NOT piss on the forces after I left them like yourself.

[LORD-eX-Bu]

As much as I have expressed support for this war, I cannot bring myself to spoof or make fun of Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi people or the situation at hand any longer. People are going to die, this is serious, and as much as I hate to admit it, I feel for Hussein. Seeing him tonight, he made me feel sorry for him. He looks so weathered, beaten down, and pathetic. It ain't funny anymore, it is real. I have friends and family over there right now, I can't imagine what they are going to be going thru, I hope they and the Iraqi people pull through. I hope this war is over as soon as possible, I just don't like this feeling:(

[intercede007]

Originally posted by t6_shadow
Some of us CAN'T be in the military because of medical reasons. Also if I were able to I would be in the **** NOT some wannbe airforce fan boy. I would also NOT piss on the forces after I left them like yourself.

I really hope you aren't marginalizing the trumendous role the Air Force plays, or the men and women that serve to keep those planes flying and those pilots returning home safely to their families.

If you stepped back to think for a few minutes, you would realize that the Air Force gets in the s*** every time they deliver Rangers to an LZ in a Pave-Low, and those Special Operations boys flying that helo risk life and limb every time they go out to retrieve wounded soldiers and downed pilots in a warzone. If you found yourself in need on a battlefield, you'd thank your God that the Air Force was on the other end to get you out, and that those fanboys had the training to get that helo in the air and those crazy Special Operations guys knew how to handle the Mini-gun sticking out the back of the MH-53J that perforated the bad guys and kept them from killing you.

End the Pursian Gulf War once and for all. Support your troops, even the Air Force Fanboys who don't see any s***.

[vampireuk]

t6 grow up and contribute to this thread like a adult

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2866969.stm

Edit: Also I saw this morning the British troops taking cover during a gas alert, watching the reporter hit the deck was amusing:D

[Mod]

Hey, why was this thread sticked ? :confused: Didn't Volt say no more Iraq war threads ?

[Red Dog]

may God Bless and protect you guys PTR.

I just awoke to the news that Saddam has fired scuds at our troops staging in Kuwait. the first thing that came to mind was hoping you were not in danger.

I pray this morning for the safety of Kuwaiti citizens and our troops.

eNv]-LORD-eX-Bu stated, "As much as I have expressed support for this war, I cannot bring myself to spoof or make fun of Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi people or the situation at hand any longer. People are going to die, this is serious"

I agree completely, this is indeed time to stop the immature attempts at forcing humor on a dire situation. this is not a joke, people will die.

the daily lives of people in this conflict will be a grueling drill of air raid sirens and substantial time spent waiting in protective gear. there is no humor in this situation.

My thougths are with you and your country PTR, best wishes.