Update from Baghdad reveals scene of unprovoked slaughter
Frontlines | 05.04.2003 20:30
Frontlines is publishing approx. hourly updates of the situation in Baghdad. The most recent update describes senseless destruction and wanton killing of civilians by US forces - all reportedly captured on film.
03:30 AM (PST time) - 03:30 PM (Baghdad Time)-
A picture starts to emerge: it was a hunting expedition. Some journalists in Baghdad started to speculate what the attack deep into Baghdad meant. The US High Command presented the incursion as a way to demonstrate that its forces can go anywhere, and do whatever they please under protection of their superior technology and weaponry.
With air dominance that allows the US to search and destroy with almost total impunity, it is difficult to set up a defense line in front of the invaders.
With 30 years advantage in weaponry and technology, US tanks can hunt enemy vehicles at a distance at which the enemy can't even see them, nevermind return fire.
With night vision and complete control of information on the battlefield, spy satellites, unmanned killer airplanes, there is simple no way a regular army can confront head on the US.British axis.
This is not a war, it is a massacre.
The incursions today deep into Baghdad had as the main objective not only to destroy enemy troops with impunity but also terrorize the civilian population into submission.
There is an emerging picture of airplanes, artillery and tanks reducing to rubble housing projects, factories, civilian vehicles, buses ... and shooting at anyone on sight.
The tanks that entered Baghdad were filmed shooting without pause block after block, whether they were taking fire or not. There is filmed evidence of US troops destroying civilian cars with people inside, shooting at pedestrians and cars at great distance and without prior provocation or attack.
It is possible that the task force, still inside Baghdad will withdraw today before sunset. The US command would analyze the lessons learned in today's hunting expedition that will certainly be applied in the following days, in other chapters of the Battle for Baghdad.
One of the things thar surprised the attackers is that they encountered "fierce" resistance but not from regular army or Republican Guards, but armed civilians.
Some observers think that all available troops in the area of penetration were sent to East, towards the airport to attack the US forces there.
At the airport, the US forces encountered much resistance and were shot missiles, granades and some artillery. The US responded with massive air bombardment, artillery barrages and attack helicopters.
The civilian neighbors fled the combat zone, describing it as "hell", the streets of several surrounding districts littered with corpses.
It is not difficult to imagine that Iraqis decided to concentrate all their firepower trying to win one victory at the airport. That left a significant hole in the City's defenses that were immediately used by the 3rd Infantry and the Marines first and then by the 5th Infantry. We will know more in the next few hours and the next few days.
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