U.S. official: Iraqi troops not eager to fight

Vance · **U.S. official: Iraqi troops not eager to fight -** 03-18-2003, 12:10 PM

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Intercepts of Iraqi military radio traffic indicate that some Iraqi troops do not feel driven to defend their country's regime. A well-placed U.S. official said Tuesday that those transmissions suggest a number of Iraqi military units "are not going to hold it together" during a U.S. military attack.

The radio communications suggest a great deal of "consternation" within some of the units -- including Republican Guard units, the official said on the condition of anonymity. Those units are considered to be the best trained, best equipped and most loyal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

He cautioned that the intelligence does not mean Iraqi troops will not fight for Baghdad, the capital.

"I don't want to make it sound like it's going to be easy," the official said.

The belief is that the 48-hour deadline U.S. President George W. Bush gave to Hussein to leave Iraq or face military action created a good deal of pressure and elevated anxiety levels, the official said.

He also confirmed an earlier report that at least one Iraqi oil well in a southern oil field west of Basra was broken, gushing oil onto the ground. Iraqi soldiers are "definitely preparing (more wells) for sabotage" in the same area, he said.

The troops are removing safety valves used for automatic shutdown during accidents, he said.

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I dont know about anyone else, but I think this is a diversion, like Japanese did before Pearl Harbor and the Allies did before D-Day. It just seems that they wouldnt come out and say it.

Bazooka_Joe · 03-18-2003, 01:09 PM

Yep, same thing about a week ago, when a bunch of the troops surrendered to the Americans, even when the war had not even started!

Zap. USMC · 03-18-2003, 01:53 PM

You're wrong their, big Joe.

It was British troops, and they were practicing with artillery.

1080jibber · 03-18-2003, 01:57 PM

not very loyal to there leader

Milla · 03-18-2003, 02:06 PM

umm...zappy balls, it was british paratroopers training on the border of kuwait biggrin:

Sgt. Pepper. · 03-18-2003, 02:27 PM

Thats the thing most people don't know. Who do you think is going to go in and liberate Bagdad. I believe the we will tell all those that surrender to go in first and clear it out. Just like we got the northern alliance to go into Kabul.

Milla · 03-18-2003, 02:38 PM

The fighting in baghdad is gonna be fierce, they wouldnt send in amatures to go fight in a battle like that.

Bazooka_Joe · 03-18-2003, 03:17 PM

[quote="Cpt. Zapotoski":a7ad2]You're wrong their, big Joe.

It was British troops, and they were practicing with artillery.[/quote:a7ad2]

My bad, same point, tho.

Zap. USMC · 03-18-2003, 04:02 PM

[quote="Capt. John Miller":0208c]umm...zappy balls, it was british paratroopers training on the border of kuwait biggrin:[/quote:0208c]

NEIN!

Just because my penis is extremely large, doesn't mean Iam always wrong. freak: