Objectives Moe, Larry, & Curley
2003-12-16 21:08:10.814303+00 by
petronius
3 comments
As the situation in Iraq changes on a daily basis, we are begining to get more information on the first part of the war. In particular, the LA Times has pieced together the full story of Thunder Run (registration required, try laexaminer password laexaminer), the fierce battle in which 975 US soldiers captured Saddam's main palace while surrounded by 5 Million Iraqis. It certainly was no cakewalk, and almost turned into another Mogadishu. An amazing, terrifying story.
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#Comment Re: Objectives Moe, Larry, & Curley made: 2003-12-16 21:47:23.464683+00 by:
Dan Lyke
Okay, now I want to re-read that article with a map. Impressive.
#Comment Re: Objectives Moe, Larry, & Curley made: 2003-12-18 18:23:01.539988+00 by:
Shawn
[edit history]
The one thing that strikes me - and the article is not at all clear on this point - is that it appears Col. Perkins defied his orders by staying in Baghdad.
Blount told Perkins to go back into the city in two days, on Monday the 7th. Blount wanted him to test the city's defenses, destroy as many Iraqi forces as possible and then come out to prepare for the siege of the capital.
Perkins was eager to go back in, but not for another thunder run. He wanted to stay. He had just heard Mohammed Said Sahaf, the bombastic information minister, deliver a taunting news conference, claiming that no American forces had entered Baghdad and that Iraqi troops had slaughtered hundreds of American "scoundrels" at the airport.
When Perkins got back to the brigade operations center south of the city, he told his executive officer, Lt. Col. Eric Wesley: "This just changed from a tactical war to an information war. We need to go in and stay."
We hold this up as a turning point in the war (which it was) and a shining example of American drive and perseverance. But, looked at from another angle, this could easily be seen as proof of our "cowboy" attitude: In a fit of spite the Colonel imposes his personal will on the situation.
#Comment Re: Objectives Moe, Larry, & Curley made: 2003-12-18 22:57:30.786022+00 by:
meuon
Sounds like Hollywood material to me..