-- Luke
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Mage" <jmage at panix.com> To: "lbo-talk" <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org> Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2003 11:51 AM Subject: [lbo-talk] iraqwar.ru - 4/6 (Baghdad)
> an account posted an hour or so ago of fierce fighting for the airport
> all day yesterday, that left the airport divided between the invading
> and defending forces as of last night. again an insistance that the
> primary forces ("Republican Guard") defending Baghdad have lost only
> "5-8%" of their "defensive potential" and have moved back into the city.
> also a peculiar report from unnamed Russian analysts who think US
> propaganda reports of the destruction of the Iraqi army are geared to
> the interests of speculators. this sort of conspiratorial nonsense
> diminishes their credibility. but the proof will be whether the airport
> fight they have reported will be eventually reported elsewhere. too
> central a fact not to surface, even given the amazing degree of control
> of the "free" media.
>
> john mage
>
>
> Russian Military Intel update: War in Iraq, April 6 (morning)
> 06.04.2003 [19:01]
>
> April 6th, Morning
> Baghdad
>
> By the morning of April 6th an uncertain and quickly changing situation
> has developed. Coalition divisions are continuing to advance toward the
> city outskirts. The 22nd and 15th expeditionary marine squadrons are
> trying to break into the region of military airport “Rashid” from
> south-east. Iraqis are holding the line along the Diyala river and
> currently the marines cannot capture beach-heads on the right bank.
>
> A hard situation has formed near the international airport. The day
> before yesterday the Iraqi minister of propaganda claimed that the
> coalition forces in this region would have been eliminated by this
> morning, and the Iraqi command ordered to storm the airport. At 10am it
> was attacked by 3 Republican Guards battalions enforced with militia
> troops. Americans requested artillery and aviation support. The battle
> lasted for almost 6 hours. After several unsuccessful attacks Iraqis
> managed to drive Americans back from the second runway to the airport
> building. Currently the coalition forces control the building itself and
> the new runway bordering to it. During the day the foes had to increase
> their strengths and deploy reinforcements. By the evening up to 2
> regular Iraqi brigades and 2 thousand militiamen were fighting for the
> airport. Americans had to use all available forces of the 3rd Mechanized
> Division and 101st Airborne Division to repulse the attacks. Only
> assault aircraft and battle helicopters made more than 300 operation
> flights to this region.
>
> During the fight Iraqis lost up to 20 tanks, 10 APC, about 200 men
> killed and up to 300 wounded. The American losses were up to 30 men
> killed, about 50 wounded, at least 4 tanks, 4 APC and 1 helicopter. But
> it is impossible to obtain the exact data yet. By this hour there have
> been more than 20 flights for evacuation of killed and wounded coalition
> soldiers and the command have requested ambulance aviation again.
>
> The combat was so intense that commander of the 3rd Mechanized Division
> general-major Bufford Blunt had to issue an order to organize a false
> strike. Around 8am from Khan-Azad road junction an attack was organized
> in order to demonstrate tank vanguards of a large subdivision advancing
> toward Al-Daura from south. The group was able to reach the outskirts of
> the town near the Avajridge village. After entering the village the
> group was met by Republican Guards. In direct combat the group lost 2
> tanks, 3 APC, 3 men killed, up to 10 wounded and, after two hours of
> fighting, withdrew to the main forces. Iraqis lost 4 tanks, 2 APC and up
> to 30 men killed.
>
> By the evening the foes reduced their activity and were regrouping
> during the last night. Americans are rapidly fortifying their defense
> positions and deploying reinforcements to the airport region, increasing
> their forces at Khan-Azad and Abu-Harraib. Iraqis are moving anti-armor
> divisions closer to the city outskirts.
>
> Despite the exchange of strikes there are no reasons to expect any
> serious attempts to capture the city in the nearest future. By numerical
> strength the coalition troops that have reached the city borders do not
> meet even the minimal requirements for storming and heavy urban fights.
> Coalition forces by Baghdad number up to 18-20 thousand men and can be
> enforced with no more than 3-5 thousand men while the minimal force
> necessary to capture a city like Baghdad equals from 80 to 100 thousand
> soldiers.
>
> According to weather forecasts, in the coming day the weather may
> abruptly change to the worse. The wind is expected to intensify,
> visibility may reduce to 200-300 m.
>
> All the claims made by aviation commander of the coalition, general
> Michael Mosley, about “…Iraqi army, as an organized structure consisting
> of large units, exists no longer…” are contrary to fact and, according
> to analytists, are probably connected with severe pressure put on the
> military command by American financial groups that desperately needed
> good news from the US-Iraqi front by the end of the financial week. In
> fact, the Republican Guards defending Baghdad have not lost even 5% of
> their numerical strength and military equipment. Most of those losses
> were due to bombardments and not land combats. The total losses of Iraqi
> army since the beginning of the war have not exceeded 5-8% of their
> defensive potential. This means the main battles are still to be seen.
>
> The situation in other sectors of the US-Iraqi front will be summarized
> closer to this evening.
>
> [ translated by Necroman ]
>
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