Our goal is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused. If you find something here you want to blog about yourself (and we hope you do), all we ask is that you do as we do and offer a Hat Tip hyperlink to today's "Winds of War". Welcome!
TO IRAQ...
Who else... Gweilo Diaries, noting a report that China has given the United States the address of its embassy in Baghdad in the hope of avoiding a repeat of the deadly 1999 bombing of its mission in Belgrade. "If only," he says, "the French would give us theirs."
Comparative quiet today, but a major fight is still shaping up around Kerbala within the next few days. Both sides are getting their ducks in order.
Agonist links to a very good MSNBC update. Some urban warfare by Marines in Nasariyah, as the allies shore up their supply lines and send airpower hunting now that the weather is clearing. "Bush International Airport" set up about 4 miles from An Nasiriyah, expected to be a major resupply base and transport hub.
Baghdad Roundup: Sgt. Stryker notes that Saddam's Special Republican Guard have changed into civilian clothes, and are taking over homes in Baghdad. Diane discusses her nightmare Baghdad war scenario, courtesy of Mark "Blackhawk Down" Bowden. Meanwhile, Trent Telenko says Daryl Press' "How to Take Baghdad" is closest to his views.
"Stars & Stripes reported on March 14 that the deployment of the 1st Armored Division has been postponed indefinitely. Stars & Stripes indicated that the reasons for the delay were due to lack of transportation." Dean de Freitas in the War News section of Dailypundit. That leaves 4th Infantry and the Marines' 26th MEU, followed by 1st Cavalry.
Australian SAS have confirmed widespread desertions, with Iraqis simply leaving their units and heading home. This is ideal - if they just disappear, they can't be forced to fight.
Do we need to remind you that the Palestinians are celebrating their hero Saddam Hussein? And here's a policeman at Arafat's HQ: "Everyone here was happy to see pictures of American soldiers in Iraqi custody."
Good UPI analysis of the failed Apache attack near Baghdad. If you believe cavalry are for charging set positions, you watch too many movies.
The award for luckiest man in theatre has a front runner. Shot in the head four times, and he's OK - insert Royal Marine joke here. (Hat Tip: Bargarz)
Defense Tech reports from his sources that the attacks on Iraqi TV used the experimental "microwave e-bomb". Makes sense, given that the problem was its location in a populated area and HERF/HPM weapons don't kill people.
Unconfirmed report from a CBN embed that the 3rd Infantry has captured chemical warheads, along with a guy from the Medina division whose job it was to mix and load the chemicals. Wisely, they've decided not to screw around with anything and shipped the warheads off for testing. Russian make and writing. Note that the pieces were almost certainly artillery shells or rocket warheads, and since Iraq's gear is Russian of course any munitions woud be too. May not be a violation of the post-1991 embargo, but retaining them is definitely a violation of the cease-fire. (Hat Tip: blog-mate Trent Telenko)
Full details on the 173rd's jump at Bashur (some reports say Harir - neither is on my maps), right near the Turkish border. Three interesting tidbits: [1] they're depending on AC-130 Spectre/Spooky gunships for heavy duty air protection, [2] a Special Forces A-Team was overrun a little while ago near Ibril, and [3] their primary purpose in the area is more political than military. (Hat Tip: blog-mate Trent Telenko)
Airborne juimps into Northern Iraq. Hoo-aah! It's the 173rd Airborne Infantry, staged direct from Italy in C-17s. About 1,000 troops secured an airfield in Kurdish territory, and apparently the plan is to start dropping in more troops and armor. Phil Carter reports it's the The 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor of the 1st Infantry division.
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We've moved all of the basic military and Iraq reference materials into their own post. Presenting the Winds of Change.NET Essential War Briefing.
We also have a consolidated post for ways you can support the troops.
Given reports of Iraqi preparations to use chemical weapons (thank goodness for sandstorms lately), see "Devils in the Details" at Techcentralstation.com. It's my analysis of Saddam's chemical and biological options on the battlefield, and an honest look at both allied weaknesses and potential responses. Unfortunately, I'm not the only one who sees this as likely.
Caerdroia asks: is Saddam adopting a Palestinian strategy?
Christopher Hitchens says: keep your nerve. Great stuff, as usual.
Al-Jazeera on why the French, Germans, and Russians oppose war in Iraq. You should read it. (Hat Tip: Instapundit)
Let the U.N. run Iraq after the war? "We didn't take on this huge burden with our coalition partners not to be able to have a significant dominating control over how it unfolds in the future..." George Will? No. Colin Powell, yesterday.
AND BEYOND...
The broader U.N. picture is less optimisitic. "The consensus seems to be that the UN is a dead man walking which can safely be more-or-less ignored from here on out. I think the consensus is wrong. The reality is much more volatile than most seem to believe, and Chirac is operating according to a plan and it's dangerous to just dismiss him." Bite the Wax Tadpole is cogent and very probably correct: see "Danger, Will Robinson!" and "Dangerously False Assumptions."
Reader Michael Marcus recommended this response to the recent debate over Sayyid Qutb and Western responses, which also ties right into Instapundit's "they're not anti-war, they're on the other side" meme: "The War Against Modernity." It's a good one.
To which I'll add a voice from a surprising source. Fawaz Turki, in the Saudi Arab News of all places, asks: "Rather, the question I raise today is not why a superpower is tearing our homeland asunder, but why it feels able to do that, and get away with it." Read his answer.
Gweilo Diaries is on a major sarcasm roll. From Europe to Mugabe to the Rolling Stones to TV analysts, few escape his poison pen today. Worth a visit.
I try to close on a lighter note if possible. This picture from Zogby Blog fits the bill nicely.
Need a map to find out where these cities are? The best I've found is at http://www.mideastweb.org/miraq.htm
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iraq-war.com leads to completeconfusion.com
When I visited Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt (plus 7 other arab countries) in 1986, these countries, to all appearanse, were very secular. Most women didn't wear veils. In Jordan and Syria, a lot of guys I met just wanted to try on my Reebocks, no matter that I'm an 8 1/2 and they were size 11, and almost everyone asked me if I would sell them my Levis. In Syria, a family of strangers invited me into their house for lunch, just so I could tell them about America. At the Suuk in Damascus, there were kiosks everywhere selling bootleged Madonna tapes, her music playing loudly, posters of her proudly displayed. There were legless war veterans everywher, sitting on crates, saying over and over again, "MarlboroMarlboro" They loved all things American. But, the Cold War at its height with Syria fully in the Soviet camp, and Assad was at the pinacle of his power.
Things have really changed. Didn't mean to bore anyone but, I spent 11 months of my life there, in Israel, West Bank, Gaza, North Africa, etc. Just wanted to relate that it wasn't always like it is now.