February 8, 2003

THE FEW, THE PROUD:

Marines bristling with confidence in desert (Daily Telegraph, 08/02/2003)
The Northern Kuwait desert rumbled and cracked with the sounds of heavy artillery and machine guns yesterday as US marines began a live firing exercise within earshot of the Iraqi troops they expect to be fighting in the next few weeks.

The news that the marines are in the neighbourhood should be particularly dispiriting to Saddam Hussein's men, already demoralised by daily and nightly displays of America's awesome firepower.

Their enthusiasm is remarkable, even by American standards. "We're hard charging and motivated," said Captain Jeff O'Neill, 30, from Georgia. "When the situation gets worse the morale gets better. We've always got something to prove." [...]

To the Iraqi border troops watching the dust hanging in the air from the columns of American armour grinding through the sand, the end cannot seem far away.

Judging by the new lines the marines have added to their old marching chant, they do not think it will be long either:

When I get to Iraq, Saddam's gonna say

(One, Two, Three, Four)

Howja get to Baghdad in just one day?


People keep saying we're wrong to portray Saddam as unbalanced, that he's a wily survivor, yadda, yadda: if you could take your billions and head off to a comfortable exile rather than face these guys, wouldn't you take the opportunity? Posted by Orrin Judd at February 8, 2003 9:30 AM
Comments

Well, in a sense I'd rather he and Uday not go into exile, because I fear they'll be back. The hawk in me sees nothing less then heads on a pike in terms of satisfaction with this thing. And with billions at his disposal, don't think a live and free Saddam is still a danger?

Posted by: Buttercup at February 8, 2003 10:48 AM

Yeah, but I'm saying he won't do it cause he wants to die in the bunker.

Posted by: oj at February 8, 2003 11:10 AM

Using your logic, Napolean, R E Lee, and Churchill (to name three) were "unbalanced".

Posted by: George Peery at February 8, 2003 12:09 PM

Churchill knew he'd win. Napoleon accepted exile twice. Lee surrendered as soon as the going got tough.

Posted by: oj at February 8, 2003 12:39 PM

Saddam fears shame more than death. But, also I wonder whether he would be able to protect his own life (and those of his 'loved' ones) during that vulnerable window of time from the point at which it became known he was abandoning his cronies to face criminal prosecution at the hands of the liberators, until he were safely ensconsed in Paris (oops! Did I just say that!?)



I don't want to see him surviving in exile either. At all. We wish for a Ceaucescuesque photo finish.



(And is "Ceaucescuesque" a great looking word, or what?)

Posted by: Cayce Star at February 8, 2003 2:51 PM

Now, now; Lee surrendered when the going got impossible.



I wonder if Saddam hasn't absorbed too much of his own propaganda, filtered through a few layers of yes-men...

Posted by: mike earl at February 9, 2003 12:33 AM

Cayce:



That is an extraordinary word.

Posted by: oj at February 9, 2003 8:41 AM

mike:



Longstreet had advised him for years that they should take to the wild and fight a guerilla war rather than fight set piece battles.

Posted by: oj at February 9, 2003 8:42 AM
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