...we have to end this conflict with out dignity intact...as long as it takes, no matter how long it takes?...including the lives of soldiers, young & old alike?...there is an acceptable loss of life, then there is slaughter or massacre...soldiers with critical injuries have been flown to the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, MD...others will be treated at Walter Reed in DC...a helicopter accident claimed the lives of 3 Marines...per Donald Rumsfeld, The most difficult & dangerous days lie ahead!...one of the major problems facing soldiers is sleep depreivation...US troops have captured soldiers from the Republican Guard, and have killed 100 from the Terrorist Guard...there is no reason to keep a tally on this web site of the people who die in this conflict...
"Officers warn of increasing bloodshed!"
...from Saddam Hussein, we hear Iraq will use any means to win this conflict...would that include nuclear methods?...Terik Aziz says that more suicide bombings are possible...those who sacrifice their lives are both heroes & freedom fighters...the Iraqi president did not appear at a press conference that he planned...it was held at noon EST...he tells his people to rise up against the infidels...our intelligence forces still cannot be certain if Saddam is a live or dead...4/4/03: Saddam spoke to his people twice, in person, on TV...4/6/03: he appeared again on Iraqi TV with his son...skeptics are convinced that he is alive...where is he? unknown at this time...moving between underground bunkers, coming up for air when necessary...
"Day be day we are moving closer to Baghdad & victory!"
...actors who oppose the war are being denied roles, or the opportunity to try out for a specific part or for a particular movie...
"We must be prepared for terrorist attacks on the American homeland by Iraqi or al-Qaeda forces !"
...the battles will not get easier as our troops face the Republican Guard the closer they approach Baghdad...the Iraqi soldiers are forming a ring around the outskirts of the city...there is also a wall of smoke caused by igniting oil wells...7 (or 10) civilians killed at a checkpoint...there is a debate as to what happened...it is the soldier's word against a reporter's...4/1/03: a POW was rescued...Navy SEALS helicopters circled the hospital where she was located, then a small task force helped her escape...she is from Palestine, WV...her wounds (broken bones) were thought to be not from guns or knives...Iraqis claim she was beaten & tortured by several people; her dog tags were found in the Iraqi Central Command HQ...a further exam found bullet shrapnel in her legs...her family has flown to Germany to be with her...
"4/2/03: the beginning of the Battle for Baghdad!"
...4/2/03: troops are within 20 miles of Baghdad, south of the city...the British brought a terrier for search for rescue missions & for morale...the Coalition forces are past Kaarbala, claiming a key bridge over the Tigris...this highway will be used to make the final journey into the city's boundaries...troops can see its skyline...4/3/03: soldiers are within 4 miles of the city...they are taking control of Saddam Int'l Airport...4/4/03: the airport has been renamed Baghdad INT'L Airport...US are being warned to leave the airport, or face massive attacks...and, Baghdad is a city which is 200 square miles in size and home to 5 million people!...the airport is far from the center of the city...and, Basra is Iraq's second largest city...6 Americans were killed in separate downing of Hornet & Blackhawk jets...one of the men in the Blackhawk has family in Belen, NM...3 people from that town have died in this conflict...one took place near Karbala, the other when landing on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk...
...not quite good taste...a billboard with no caption & 3 pictures of Saddam Husein has appeared at I-25 & Avenue de Cesar Chavez...it is a local radio station's way of raising $10000 for the Air Force Aid Fund...people pay $1 to "shoot" the enemy...it has generated mixed feeling from people...so far it has raised over $1000...
...at Kirtland AFB, soldiers learn how to fly a helicopter during the night & through sandstorms...these forces of nature can reach 100 feet in height...
"The vice is closing on Saddam!"
...4/4/03: S of Baghdad, boxes were found containing vials of white powder, and documents on surviving chemical warfare...how did the city lose power?...the US says it did not do so...
...4/4/03: moving into Baghdad...but they are not able to shut down Iraqi TV...the plan is to cut off the city from the rest of the country...prevent supplies from reaching & entering Baghdad...but what of the remaining innocent citizens, or victims...the US believes it will lead the rebuilding of Iraq...Not so!, says the UN...let us hope that we do not turn countries against us, such as France, Germany & Russia...an isolated winner cannot do the job by itself...more Iraqis, including the Republican Guard, are surrendering willingly...but other loyal Iraqi soldiers, who know Baghdad inside & out, will have an advantage & can hide among the shadows...also, Saddam has trained the children to fight, calling them his lion cubs...in N Iraq, 3 soldiers died, 2 were injured in another car bombing...soldiers still enter Baghdad carefully...they are trying to gain control of another bridge that crosses the Tigris...this is another major route into Baghdad...this may take many days to fully accomplish their task of claiming this city for the Coalition...
...religious & historical landmarks are not to be touched unless there are no other options...
...a soldier from Kirtland AFB had to leave her sick baby at Children's Hospital in ABQ...the mother was shipped to the Persian Gulf region before her child was discharged...
...intelligence sources have not picked up any transmissions regarding any attacks against the US...NM Governor Richardson has signed into law effective immediately that there will be benefits guaranteed any New Mexican in the National Guard or any branch of the Armed Forces from fishing to education...their families will also be included, should tragedy fall upon those fighting in battle...there is also an increase in patriotic tattoos, many requested by soldiers before they go overseas to fight...
...47% of Americans think the war is going well...there are Iraqi troops loyal to their country, who are willing to fight as long as possible and die as martyrs...there are also citizens who are trying to escape the city...they fear troops from both sides, will attack them, but for different reasons...the temps in Iraq have reached the triple-digit mark...
...Operation: Thunder Run is the code name for the campaign to take control of Baghdad...US sources say it will take at least 6 months to form a new political base for Iraq...
...a soldier from Tuba City, AZ is one of the casualties...PVT Lori Ann Piestewa was of the Hopi tribe, and leaves behind a 4-year old son & 3-year old daughter...she is the first woman to die in this war...
...Iraqi news states that there are no US troops in Baghdad...this is all a movie with special effects to convince people that a war is being fought!...at the same time the Republican Guard Medina division has (or has not) been defeated...their HQ has (or has not) also been destroyed...Saddam states that the Invading criminals face humiliation!...
...4/6/03: Russian diplomats' convoy attacked while leaving Baghdad...Kurds were also attacked...these actions may be attributed to Coalition friendly fire incidents...the US & UK will meet again during the second week in April...TV viewers are beginning to feel helpless as they watch these scenes of war...some peopl, young or old e are experiencing bad dreams...they would like to help in some way...the easiest answer is send an E-mail to a soldier in the Persian Gulf...but, is the war losing its sensationalism appeal?...war headlines are shrinking on the front page of newspapers...2 other thoughts to ponder are: what about N Korea during the last few weeks...what is the present situation in that country?...after 3 weeks of war, would are the opinions of the other Arab nations?...
...4/6/03: 2,000 - 3,000 Iraqi soldiers have been killed in Baghdad...sources report that Chemical Ali, one of Saddam's close advisors, is among the dead...US troops have moved 15 miles, with 1 Coalition soldier fatality...bombers are now flying at lower altitudes...7 of the most recent casualties were stationed @Ft. Bliss, TX, near El Paso...Iraqis fear that the Coalition will leave their country too quickly, thus allowing Saddam's forces to return to power...4/7/03: another presidential palace was taken over by US troops, this one near the Tigris...the Information Ministry still tells the Iraqi citizens that there are no American troops in the city; they have been defeated and Baghdad is safe & secure...but the US forecs do control many of the major highways into the city...
...Bush & Blair banter in Belfast...this is the third meeting for them in the last month...
...4/8/03: for only the second time since the war started, humanitarian aid has arrived...4 bombs, each 2000 pounds and satelite guided, struck a building thought to house Saddam & his 2 sons...in the end there was just a 60-foot crater...this had been the GOVT Planning Ministries...it was also in a residential area, killing many unarmed civilians...in that same area, the Palestine hotel was bombed...this housed foreign journalists, and resulted in several deaths...the military's comment was that those people knew the risks of war...and, in the end, Saddam could be, might be, may be, is almost certain to and nearly without a doubt be dead!...we, including our President, want him dead!...not exiled or punished or jailed, we want him to cease functioning, kick the bucket or have his plug pulled...in no uncertain terms!...and, as of now, we are still not sure...chemicals were found, they might be for pesticides or something worse...we are still not sure if there are WMD in this country...
...4/9/03: this has been a day of events...Iraqis claim that Coalition forces detroyed an Arab TV studio, to prevent the truth from being told...looting has occured in the center of Baghdad...often the people are just taking items...they may not know what it is or how to use it...they may not even need it, but this is clear...what once was the goevernment's is now theirs!...chaos reigns east of the City Centre...US troops are not in control; the same is true for the UK forces in Basra...
...children giving flowers to soldiers & citizens praising the US & President Bush...
...the US does not have the money to rebuild Iraq...it will depend on the global community...the military is hopeful that Saddam is dead...US: We just don't know...UK: Saddam is still alive...US chem suits & uniforms have been found in various parts of the city... but the questions remain: what if we cannot find Saddam or enough proof to know he is dead...what determines the end of the war?...who will decide?...the president says there is still a lot to do...an Iraqi diplomat has used the phrase GAME OVER!...the northern areas are still under Saddam's control [more or less]...that is a land of oil wells, many rigged to explode when necessary...heavy fighting continues in that area...
"4/9/03: the day Saddam fell!"
...4/9/03: the day we toppled a man & his statues (shades of Lenin!)...as one struck the ground, his "head" fell off ...it was dragged through the streets of Baghdad, and was struck by shoes, a insult in the Arab world...day #1 for a "new" Iraq?...does this seem all too easy?...and in spite of the good news, the stock market lost 100 points on 4/10/03, and 17 points more on 4/11/03...
...4/10/03: 4 Marines were injured when a bomb exploded at a checkpoint...there has been fighting near mosques & presidential palaces...Coalition troops struck by shrapnel, resulting in fatalities...the British want the citizens of Basra to surrender their weapons...what if the people say "You first!"...Saddam's "last stand" may be in Tikrit, his birthplace...if the Iraqi troops lose there, it may symbolize the end of his regime...
"GAME
OVER!"
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