War updates..........................

[think]

In what would appear to be a very positive development in the war it is being reported that 8000 Iraqi troops have surrendered...................................

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7108-2003Mar21.html

 

[RMF]

Thats a good start. Only about 500k to go.

RMF

 

[think]

It appears that General Tommy Franks in his first press conference could not confirm that 8,000 Iraqis have surrendered. His official numbers were in the range of 700-2,000. I do not know how the Washington Post and others came up with the figure of 8,000. My guess is that it was strictly propoganda designed to demoralize Iraqi troops and garner support in the US and elsewhere.

 

[WildCard]

I think they said 8k given that it's the appx definition of a division.

News yesterday said that they weren't sure how many of the division had deserted and how many had surrendered. They also mentioned this division was a grouping of some of the lowest skilled members of the Iraqi army, so I am guessing that many had taken the propoganda flyers and went home to their families.

-WC-

 

[think]

Thank you for that clarification WildCard. It still bothers me when things don't add up but it does give me some insight as to how and why these figures might have been used.

 

[Larry]

Bothers me too think

 

[WildCard]

Agreed. Less biased news should have said something like: 'Iraqi division nullified without firing a shot'.

-WC-

 

[britishangel]

LOL That's kinda funny we were talking the other day about if they started a news broadcast in today's language like "Today troops dropped some bombs and sh*t on Iraq and a couple senators said Bush was still a f**khead for bombing sh*t and some more senators said way to go boss" LOL Things would be so much easier that way Just a thought from an anti-intellectual moment from me