Jump to content
In the Name of God بسم الله

The attack on Iraq

Rate this topic


Gypsy

Recommended Posts

  • Advanced Member

Air strikes target Baghdad

Dubai, March 20: The US declared a war on Iraq with its aircraft and cruise missiles striking key military targets at dawn on Monday morning, barely 95 minutes after the 48-hour deadline given to President Saddam Hussein and his sons to leave the country or face military conflict expired.

Reports said some 40 cruise missiles were fired against "a target of opportunity," and explosions were heard around and south of Baghdad with air sirens screaming in the Iraqi capital. Baghdad was hit by three waves of air strikes as the day broke.

The US forces used B-1, B-2, B-52 and F-117 fighters and bombers in the strikes. The cruise missiles were launched from US ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf region as well as land bases on what is being described as a "leadership targets" in a bid to "decapitate" the Iraqi leader, US networks reported.

So far no assessment of damage or casualty has been made.

Iraq is defending itself with an army which has wittled down from a million-strong fighting force to about 40,000 troops after the 1991 Gulf War.

In Washington, the Defence Department said the US military mobilized about 24,000 more military and National Guard reservists this week to take part in a war with Iraq, bringing the total number of reservists on active duty to 212,617 people.

"This week, the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps each announce an increase of reservists on active duty in support of the partial mobilization," the department said in a statement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 387
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Advanced Member

Saddam vows victory against US

Posted: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 16:51 AEDT

In a televised address Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has called on Iraqis to resist attacks after the beginning of a US-led war.

Wearing his military uniform and black beret Saddam says the Iraqis will win the war.

"You will be victorious against your enemies," he said.

He also blasted the "cowardly aggression" against his nation, hours after the United States launched war to force him from power.

It is not clear if the address was live or pre-recorded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member

Iraq Leader Exhorts His People to Draw Arms Against Invaders

By JOHN F. BURNS

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Thursday, March 20 — Iraqi television broadcast a speech by a defiant Saddam Hussein this morning, a few hours after the first blasts on Baghdad. In it, he exhorted his people to "draw your swords" against invaders and referred to the United States government as "criminals" and "Zionists."

"God willing, we will take them to the limit where they lose their patience and any hope to achieve what they have planned and what the Zionist criminals have pushed them to do," he said. It was unclear whether the address had been recorded previously.

According to one translation, he said, "The criminal little Bush has committed a crime against humanity." Another had him referring to "Junior Bush."

The broadcast came in the lull after a strike on the city just before dawn. Beginning at about 5:35 this morning, bombs exploded, answered by anti-aircraft fire and what sounded like machine-gun fire, mingled with a muezzin's call from one of the city's many mosques and the rush-hour sounds of cars racing over the highway, heading away from town in an apparent attempt to escape American fire.

Apparently fashioned to mark the bombing, the muezzin's call consisted of a plaintive 10 minutes of "Allah-u Akbar," or "God is great," over and over.

This morning the waiting was over, just hours after President Bush's 48-hour ultimatum to Saddam Hussein elapsed. As it ticked down Wednesday, there was only one question that waiters, masons, vegetable sellers, physicians, government clerks and an endless roll call of other anxious Iraqis put to any foreigner:

"America, what time?" they asked. "Bush, what time?"

Wednesday's passage into night was punctuated by desperate appeals for information that would help people decide when to leave their jobs, when to go to their basements, when to embrace their families and when to make their most impassioned appeals to a merciful God.

In many of these questions lurked a certain eagerness for a war that might unseat Mr. Hussein.

But as war neared, the extraordinary friendliness with which Iraqis faced with an American-led military attack have continued to greet visitors, especially from the United States and Britain, was offset by isolated incidents that confirmed that for some people here, America truly is the Great Satan, as Mr. Hussein called it during the Persian Gulf war.

At a traffic light, one man in uniform, spotting Westerners waiting in a vehicle beside him, pulled a Kalashnikov rifle from the seat beside him and snapped a fully loaded magazine sharply into its breech before roaring away. Here and there, other foreigners reported being spat at.

In several neighborhoods with potential military targets, Iraqis reported that pits had been dug and filled with heavy-grade oil, to be set afire to cast a pall of smoke to slow attacks from the air and ground and to choke American troops.

In some areas of the city that are home to senior officials or the site of strategic buildings, Iraqis said, sandbagged bunkers had been dug every 100 yards or so, some holding anti-aircraft guns, the bigger ones with ground-to-air missiles.

Other actions reflected concerns of a more personal kind. Hospitals reported that they had cleared their wards of all but emergency and chronic cases to make way for casualties. Expectant mothers were scheduled for Caesarean births to reduce birthing time.

Lines at gasoline stations stretched around the block. Residents everywhere were in a last-minute rush to buy provisions, and many found, with most neighborhood shops shuttered, that they had waited too long to buy more canned food, bottled water, candles, flashlights, car batteries and plastic containers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member

Latest Development with War in Iraq

- U.S. forces call the first strike a surgical military strike against a "target of opportunity" near Baghdad.

About 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from Navy ships in both the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. A small number of F-117 stealth fighter jets were used to fly in and drop precision-guided bombs.

- Iraq says it will file a complaint with the United Nations, calling the U.S.-led attack "a violation of international law."

- Saddam speaks on Iraqi television and says to his people: "With the help of God, you will attain victory and your enemies will be in disgrace."

- France says it is "deeply concerned" by coalition airstrikes, urges for quick resolution of the conflict.

- South Korea raises its military alert level amid concerns that North Korea may use the distraction of war to raise tensions.

- The White House tries to end rift with allies over Iraq, plans humanitarian aid to ease suffering of Iraqi people

abcnews

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member

The start of Operation Iraqi Freedom used more than 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles – fired from a destroyer and a nuclear submarine in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf – and precision-guided bombs dropped from F-117 Nighthawks, the Air Force’s stealth fighter-bombers, military officials said.

Another senior defence official said two F-117A stealth fighter-bombers participated in the attack.

Each dropped two 2,000-pound bombs called Joint Direct Attack Munitions, which are guided by satellite signals.

They attacked a “small complex of buildings,” the official said. He added the attack was aimed at Saddam.

The bombs dropped by the planes are each twice as big as the sea-launched cruise missiles .

Three of the Tomahawks were launched from the destroyer Donald Cook in the Red Sea. The Navy released three pictures of the missiles being launched just hours after the attack.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member

Yahya Al-Garib, who runs the Iraqi Community Center in West Seattle, said many local Iraqis spent yesterday waiting, not eating, worried about loved ones.

"Everyone's trying to call Iraq the past 48 hours -- morning, afternoon, night," he said. "No one can reach any of our family members."

Al-Garib's 35 family members in Basra, including his father and seven siblings, told him Saturday that they could not leave the country en masse.

"They said, 'We're going to stay home. We're going to die or have a new life after the war,' " he said.

Alidani has been trying to phone family members the past week, reaching a brother who escaped Iraq to Syria.

In Babylon, where his parents live, the government told people that "if anything happens, don't go outside your home. People are very anxious. On the other side, they are happy."

While agreeing that Saddam must go, Dr. Mayed Radi opposes the war, fearing massive casualties and suffering by civilians, including the loss of water and electricity. In the days before the war began, his father was storing water in Pepsi bottles.

"I'm against the war -- totally," said Radi, who lives in Bellevue and is attempting to get his license to practice medicine here. "This war will create more hatred and increase terrorist activity and so on. Simple as that."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Site Administrators

Kuwait says two Iraqi missiles hit north Kuwait

KUWAIT, March 20 — Kuwait's defence minister said on Thursday two Iraqi missiles had hit Kuwait's northern border with Iraq, the official Kuwait News Agency said.

The agency gave no further details. Kuwait state television said the two Iraqi missiles were three-tonne medium-range and ''were not carrying any unconventional warheads.''

Kuwait's Defence Ministry says experts in chemical suits were checking the missile blast site. Earlier, another Kuwaiti defence official said he had heard two explosions caused by a missile landing in the Mutlaa Ridge area just north of the town of Jahra.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member

bis.gif

(salam)

According to my political analysis, the Americans will never kill their obedient puppit. They will only kill the innocent Muslims in Iraq as they did in 1990 Gulf War. Their main goal is not Saddam and his Baath Party; it's the pure boold of Muslims in Iraq. It seems that Bush (Hitler of America) is very thirsty for the Iraqi blood and oil.

I'm sure that this is the begining of the American collapse and destruction. Almighty Allah (SWT) and all his soldiers will fight the American troops until the final victory.

The Great Satan will be defeated politcally and economically. Almighty Allah is greater than America and all evil powers in this world.

Allahu Akbar and victory for Islam!

Seiful Islam

============

{Cold and warm weapons, that is, pens, words and machine-guns, should all be aimed at the enemies of mankind, headed by America}

-Imam Khomeini (ra)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
(bismillah) (salam)

If America attacks Iraq (God forbid), all the American buildings should be attacked too (eye for an eye) including but not limited to Pentagon, the white house, and the new WTC. :squeez:

Iraq will be the graveyard for the American troops!

Death to America Death to israel

ameen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member

(bismillah)

The Zionist Christian Bush (Dictator of America) attacks Muslims in their Holy months. He attacked Afghanistan in the Holy month of Ramadan, and now he is attacking Iraq in the Holy month of Muharram.

That means this war is against Islam and Muslims not against Saddam and Bin Laden.

We pray to Allah to bestow His victory on the Muslim Ummah and defeat the enemies of Allah and our enemies. Amin Ya Rab al-Aalameen!

Seiful Islam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
The Zionist Christian Bush (Dictator of America) attacks Muslims in their Holy months. He attacked Afghanistan in the Holy month of Ramadan, and now he is attacking Iraq in the Holy month of Muharram.

That means this war is against Islam and Muslims not against Saddam and Bin Laden.

I was unaware that the 8 year Iraq-Iran war took whole months off to celebrate holy months.

What I say must be true as according to your logic, that would make both sides fighters against Islam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
This you land go and figh with Saddam, he is man and you.

stop saying stupid things,

saddam is one basterd, who braught all the trouble, its disgrace and shameful, how ppl think he is a hero.

if i wanted to fight, i fight with the ppl, not with saddam, only a complete fool would suggest such a thing,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Slave of Zahra

assalamu alaikm

does anyone have any good news on what happened in basra? i do not have tv or radio and in reading the posts i see there is already fighting in basra... that is where my family is.... my kids r really terrified ...sis zareen do u have anything concrete that could shed more light on what happened in basra??

UmAli

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member

the oilfields in basra is on fire,

does anyone have any good news on what happened in basra? i do not have tv or radio and in reading the posts i see there is already fighting in basra... that is where my family is.... my kids r really terrified ...sis zareen do u have anything concrete that could shed more light on what happened in basra??

i talk to my friend on the phone, he said things are fine there, not much bombings or anything, he said its very normal, they are not scared at all, ofcourse there are things he cant say, but he sounded very happy, he said nothing to worry about,

but the iraqi military i dont think they have interest of fighting there, they well all pull back to baghdad,

Edited by hidrali
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Veteran Member

Is this Saddam or a "clone"?

Did Saddam's wife leave him or something? I heard that she told reporters that he watches videos of torturing victims? :o We need to kill him! :P

Yaa Allah, Please help and bless the noble people of Iraq!

Saddam

Edited by Ali al-Mahdi
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
How do we even know the second picture is of the REAL Saddam.

if u look at the interview video he gave with cbs in 60 minutes show with dan rather, and look at the video today, its looks very different, looks most likely its a double in the speech, all saddam doubles should be killed,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Iraq Minister Denies Oil Well Fires Near Basra

By Mona Megalli

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraqi Oil Minister Amir Muhammed Rasheed denied reports on Thursday that oil wells near the southern Iraqi city of Basra were on fire.

Kuwait television earlier reported that several oil wells near Basra had been set alight by Iraqi troops, while Iranian media have reported U.S. jets bombing these oilfields.

"This report that was given to you is a film from the American gangs and is misleading and prejudiced," Rasheed told Reuters in a statement from his Baghdad office.

The reports from Iran and Kuwait, which have both waged war against Iraq (news - web sites), were not independently confirmed by Reuters.

Iraqi state-run media has made no mention of any oil well fires in Basra.

A U.S. official said earlier this month that Iraq had placed explosives at the Kirkuk oilfields in northern Iraq to prevent them being taken over in the event of a U.S. invasion.

This was denied at the time by the Iraqi Oil Ministry.

U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham (news - web sites) said in a statement on Thursday: "At this time, we do not know the extent of the damage to Iraqi wells or how many wells are currently affected by the regime's orders."

The oilfields of southern Iraq pump about half of the country's 2.5 million barrel per day output, which ranks it as the seventh largest oil exporter.

The southern region also holds most of Iraq's untapped reserves, which rank second in the world to Saudi Arabia.

Exports of Basra Light crude oil from the Iraqi Gulf port of Mina al-Bakr have been stopped since Monday after United Nations (news - web sites) oil inspectors were evacuated.

Fires at Iraqi oil wells are the nightmare scenario for world oil markets and could drive prices sharply higher if confirmed.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are still tormented by the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites) when departing Iraqi troops blew up Kuwaiti oil wells and were seen as a menace to Saudi oil sector.

Another US trick to frame iraqis???

Sallam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
Another US trick to frame iraqis???

how do u know?

it would be stupid if they bombed oil fields on purppse, this will make it hell for them, they are not that stupid,

iam not trying to justify the US role, but atleast to some degree we need to be honest,

most likely iraqi elite guards set them on fire, and pulled back to baghdad, this is my guess, becuz this is their strategy to make it as bad as possible,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sallam

It wouldnt be stupid..it would actually be very smart by doing it.. theyll just make their point to the world... plus the Iraq oil minister has denied the charges..

Atleast Iran believes America themselves did it.

Also what about the chemical weapons...suppose if they dont find them you think America would plant them their themselves to make it look like it...you know they cant accept loss or a bad image...

Sallam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Veteran Member

Fox TV Reports Oil Wells Burning Outside of Basra

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2003Mar20.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Oil wells were burning outside of the Iraqi city of Basra, the Fox News television network reported on Thursday. There was no immediate confirmation of the report.

The network gave no further details of the report that came just hours after President Bush unleashed a war to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein with dawn air strikes on Baghdad.

Warplanes attack Basra Airport claims Iraq

20/03/2003 - 00:06:20

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?...46x&n=53555489#

Iraqi claimed tonight that British and US warplanes attacked Basra International Airport today and on Tuesday night.

The Iraqi News Agency reported that aircraft attacked civilian and military installations at Anbar, Basra and Kut.

Fighter planes from the US aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk bombed at least two targets in southern Iraq today.

Lieutenant Nicole Kratzer, a spokeswoman for Carrier Air Wing Five, the airborne strike force aboard the Kitty Hawk, said the targets were “an Iraqi intelligence facility and mobile missile sites.”

“Eight F/A-18 Hornets and two F-14 Tomcats from Carrier Airwing Five conducted response option air strikes against Iraqi targets in south-eastern Iraq,” she told reporters aboard the Kitty Hawk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
It wouldnt be stupid..

actually yes its pretty stupid, becuz it make the atmosphere hell for them, more of their lifes would be in danger,

theyll just make their point to the world...

give me a break, u think they give a damn about the world,

Atleast Iran believes America themselves did it.

so big deal, i dont blame them for reporting it, but maybe our hatred for the US is blinding us to be honest.

Also what about the chemical weapons...suppose if they dont find them you think America would plant them their themselves to make it look like it...you know they cant accept loss or a bad image...

i dont know , possible, u just have to wait and see, many has said this in public, maybe their well be controversy, its possible they might not do it, by now, everyone knows its all about regime change,

anyways, there is no coverage in the south, we cant see nothing..there is hardly any coverage, only thing i see on tv is a shot of a bridge of baghdad....

Edited by hidrali
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sallam

actually yes its pretty stupid, becuz it make the atmosphere hell for them, more of their lifes would be in danger

America concerned about lives...funny...theyve got enough people and weapons to sacrifice some...shudnt we be on the muslims side and not the Americans???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
America concerned about lives...funny...theyve got enough people and weapons to sacrifice some...

i dont think they are willing to die, the american troops that is, the burning of oil field would make it a hell, i think i said this already but u dont understand,

its was a strategy for the US troops to occupy the basra oil field from the beggining, so the iraqi troops have knowledge of this and set it on fire, becuz they stand no chance since they are too close to the kuwaiti border, and are outnumbered,

shudnt we be on the muslims side and not the Americans???

this question doesnt make sense to begin with, unless ur suggesting iam on americas side?

i just saying lets no exagerate, saddam is mr.propaganda worest than the us,

he placed all his military in civilian areas

Edited by hidrali
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sallam

Bro youve been watching to much CNN... Saddam is bad, Bush is bad and what Bush has that Saddam doesnt is he gets away with stuff and he knows it !

I understand the point your trying to make but until i get this from a non prejudice source then i can bel ...i cnat trust kuwait media or CNN or BBC etc

Iran hates Saddam to so i dont see why there media would say this.

Salam

Edited by salmany
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
Bro youve been watching to much CNN... Saddam is bad but Bush is badder and what Bush has that Saddam doesnt is he gets away with stuff and he knows it !

tell me wat u been watching?, by the way i have satelliate and all channells arabic, british, europe, even chinese, so dont tell wat i watch or not, my sources are enough, plus,also i have phone connection to south iraq,

saddam is worest than sharon not just bush,

i dont see sharon killing his own ppl,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
Oh well with that kind of thought no wonder the muslim world is in turmoil and on the backfoot..

why dont u refute my claims than trying to act like a smart ass,

why dont the so-called muslims accept iraqis to live in their countries,

u think we are welcome to live in arabic countries? think again, we are not welcomed but rejected, thats why we live in the west, soo much for muslims,

too bad u fall for saddams propaganda,

so which channels u watching?.

=p i watching too much cnn, wat a joke, no time for jokes buddy,

Edited by hidrali
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
It wouldnt be stupid..it would actually be very smart by doing it.. theyll just make their point to the world... plus the Iraq oil minister has denied the charges..

Well hey. if the Iraqi oil minister denies the charges, it MUST be true. lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Member
Well hey. if the Iraqi oil minister denies the charges, it MUST be true. lol

seriously,

i once almost got shoot for walking on the sidewalk of the oil ministry in basra,

becuz it belongs to the govt. they claimed, i am only allowed to walk in the street,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...