War on Terror : Gulf War II - IRAQ - Phase 2
Phase Two
A quick thrust was to allow Iraq to surrender without fighting was worth the try. It didn't work out, so it will have to be done the hard way.
US 3rd Infantry Division camped 50 miles from Baghdad
1st Marine Division is outside Kut.
The British are in charge of the seaport and Basrah.
101st and 82nd airborne are securing supply lines.
173rd Airborne has taken an airport in the Kurdish north.
G-day plus 11 . May 31, noon Monday to noon Tue . Iraq time : Mon night thru Tuesday daytime.
Air War. Recall that Iraqi tanks were bombed for 38 days before launching the ground war in 1991 to free Kuwait.
Marines have major fight in An Nasiriyah and Shatra.
Hindiyah bridge over Euphrates River taken, coming one step closer to Baghdad.
Army’s 82nd in Najaf and Samawa, cities alongside the main western supply route.
101st Airborne Division surrounds Najaf.
Ground forces move supplies and forces into position.
G plus 12 . US: noon Tuesday to noon Wed . Iraq: Tue night thru Wednesday daytime.
The Push is on.
Marines move past Kut destroying Iraqi Baghdad division, 35 miles from Baghdad.
3rd InfDiv. passes Karbala engaging weakened Medina division and reinforcements sent from the northern Nebuchadnezzar and Adnan divisions. Reaches 20 miles from Baghdad by morning.
Kicking off at midnight, US Army fought 50 miles to Baghdad airport
while marines move an equal distance to a point 30 miles SE of Baghdad.
The Medina division S. of Baghdad was destroyed by a sweep north around the unit and attack from behind while the Iraqi were kept in place facing artillery and air attack.
The airport is a rectangle 2 miles by 4 miles, located 2 miles
from the suburbs with an airport expressway that runs 4 miles into the city proper.
Al Nida division faces Marines approaching form the SE.
Hammurabi division lies on the West, on the left flank of the Army.
We can anticipate a US move north from the airport to cut off this division's retreat into the city and annihilation of this division.
This will encircle the city on the west and face the remaining northern divisions. The Hammurabi division seems to evaporated under air attack.
We can hope the regime surrenders, the troops will need some sleep after a busy day. A concerted attack on Baghdad could await
the 4th division, two-three weeks, while the 3rd and Marines encircle the city. But Franks has tried lightning thrusts before, to allow the enemy an opportunity to make an early surrender.
Inside the city, defenses are the Special Republican Guard
division of light infantry,15,000 troops, and a paramilitary force estimated at 6,000 to 8,000.
Meanwhile, the US press reports little more than loss of a helicopter in the major advance.
I hope we are broadcasting to the population showing US troops around recognizable landmarks to put the lie to Iraqi spokesmen.
[Days later an airplane starts broadcasting.]
Damn, the lights just went off in Baghdad. The power grid was not
targeted, but the electrical and broadcast system has been amazingly robust. Here in the US, our local power goes off with a big wind and our local free-channel radio station broadcasts zero, two, or sometimes one program on air at one time.
G plus 13 . US: noon Wednesday to noon Thur . Iraq: Wed night thru Thursday daytime.
Special Forces and 82nd Airborne seize Baghdad International and is
occupied by 3rd Inf Div and 101st Airborne. A wide boulevard leads to downtown and the government part of the city.
G plus 14 . US: noon Thur to noon Friday . Iraq: Thur night thru Friday daytime.
U.S. media offers no coverage of the closing days of the battle of Baghdad to "escape from all war all the time".
What is going on with the Nebuchadnezzar and Adnan divisions west and north of the city? [No longer exist as fighting force.]
G plus 15 . US: noon Friday to noon Saturday . Iraq: Fri night thru Saturday daytime.
Tank unit makes a morning "show the flag" tour from southwest to the Tigras River downtown and on to the airport.
Marines move thru Al Nida division headquarters on way
to Baghdad from southeast.
US northern and Kurdish forces surround Karkuk.
Press sees no US troops from their hotel.
G plus 16 . US: noon Saturday to noon Sunday . Iraq: Sat night thru Sun. daytime.
British 7th Armored Brigade moves into Basrah.
3rd Inf.Div. forms western circle around Baghdad from Tigrus in
south to Tigrus north of city.
Marines meet resistance on the eastern approaches to Baghdad.
Amphibious crossing of river.
7,000 troops turn Baghdad Airport into a major base.
Two more armored sweeps made into Baghdad.
Kurds moving towards Karkuk and Mosul. Convoy attacked by friendly fire.
G plus 17 . US: noon Sunday to noon Monday . Iraq: Sun night thru Mon. daytime.
New Government considered.
- Chief : Lt General Jay Garner, Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, temporary administrator and answerable to the Pentagon.
- Southern region: General Buck Walters.
- Central region: Barbara Bodine, former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen based in Baghdad.
- Northern region: General Bruce Moore in the largely Kurdish territory.
Civilian government to be determined. Two approaches -- a government
of exiles is being formed, but a democratically elected government is
to follow.
Marines encircle Baghdad from east.
101st takes Karbala that was bypassed by 3rd Inf.Div.
British 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment moves into Basrah in jeeps.
G plus 18 . US: noon Monday to noon Tues . Iraq: Mon night thru Tue. daytime.
Tank base established at Saddam's Palace downtown.
Encirclement complete.
Marines move into town from east.
G plus 19 . US: noon Tuesday to noon Wed . Iraq: Tue night thru Wed. daytime.
Civil authority in Baghdad breaks down.
Army controls government area of west bank.
Marines advancing from east, the commercial side, fight resisting Special RepGuard.
Kurd-US take last Iraqi base 10 miles before Mosul.
Forces prepare to move towards Tikrit.
World press arrives, mixing with troops.
G plus 20. Citizens loot Baghdad.
Kirkuk falls.
G plus 21. No Iraqi government.
Drive into Mosul, no soldiers there.
G plus 22. Press asks why US forces do not stop the looting?
With what: stop the war, send an A-10?
The purpose of a military is to kill people and break things -
not do police or social work.
G plus 23. April 12. Saturday
Marine task force enters Tikrit. War over.
December 14, Sunday. Saddam captured.
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