SO MUCH FOR THE SIEGE:

U.S. Commanders Say 3 Battalions Will Stay in Iraqi Capital (JANE PERLEZ, 4/07/03, NY Times)

American forces took control of a major presidential palace on the banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad early this morning in the strongest coalition thrust yet into the city. Explosions thundered and thick smoke covered portions of Baghdad as the Americans entered the city center in the early hours.

As many as 70 tanks and 60 Bradley fighting vehicles rolled down the wide streets as A-10 Thunderbolt planes, nicknamed the Warthog, and pilotless drones flew over Baghdad unchallenged.

There were reports of heavy machine fire and mortars during fighting around the presidential compound. American commanders on the ground said that three army battalions would stay in the city center, and not leave as happened in an initial lighter raid on Saturday.

Reuters reported that two American soldiers and two journalists were killed and 15 people were wounded today in an Iraqi attack on a tactical operations center established by the Third Infantry Division, Second Brigade on the outskirts of Baghdad.

"Some sort of a rocket hit near the Second Brigade's tactical operation center south of the city," Major Michael Birmingham, chief public affairs officer for the Third Infantry, told Reuters.

One question that will be interesting to see answered in the coming years is whether the Iraqis simply failed to fight for the regime or whether we killed so many they were incapable of fighting.
Posted by Orrin Judd at April 7, 2003 9:17 AM