US troops in Iraq (PIC HEAVY)

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-20 01:26pm

U.S. soldiers scale a 15- foot wall of sand to keep watch for Iraqi troops Thursday, March 20, 2003 on the Kuwait/Iraq border. The hole in the burm will be used as a path for U.S. forces as they make their way to Baghdad.

A U.S. soldier keeps watch as a Kuwaiti backhoe breaks through a 15-foot wall of sand on the Iraqi border to create a path for armed forces vehicles Thursday, March 20, 2003 in the northern Kuwaiti desert. Iraq reportedly fired a Scud missile towards Kuwait City, which was shot down by a Patriot missile.

A U.S.-launched missile soars towards Iraq as soldiers watch from the northern Kuwaiti desert.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-03-20 01:33pm

That's a bulldozer you fool, not a backhoe! Interesting though that it's a civilian model doing the job, rather then an M9 ACE.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-03-20 02:06pm

Interesting. Over where I am, the news channels are currently overflowing with footage of the bombing Baghdad is receiving...

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-03-20 07:08pm

3rd Impact wrote:Interesting. Over where I am, the news channels are currently overflowing with footage of the bombing Baghdad is receiving...

How has it gone so far? I'm not watching the news right now. It might be on the local news, but that's at 11 at night, and I'll probably be asleep by then.

theski · Post by **theski** » 2003-03-20 07:24pm

1 palace down 12 to go and a couple of C2 buildings..

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-21 08:27am

BRITISH IN IRAQ:

From Kuwait, heroes of the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery
fire their 105mm guns into southern Iraq.

Medics from 40 Commando, British Royal Marines, treat an injured
Iraqi after taking the Al-Faw Peninsula, a site of important oil
installations in southern Iraq, Friday, March 21, 2003,

*****

Troops of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
giving water to a dehydrated Iraqi.

An Iraqi boy looks at a poster of Saddam Hussein torn down by
U.S. soldiers in Safwan, southern Iraq, Friday, March 21, 2003.

A U.S. marine standing on his military vehicule drives past a portrait
of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in Safwan, southern Iraq, Friday,
March 21, 2003.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-03-21 09:07am

Why the fuck is that guy pointing an M16 at a dehydrated prisoners head? Jeez calm down.

theski · Post by **theski** » 2003-03-21 09:09am

Vymp, I think we need a little larger shot to see exactly what he is doing.. before you pull out the rolling eyes.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2003-03-21 09:12am

Vympel wrote:Why the fuck is that guy pointing an M16 at a dehydrated prisoners head? Jeez calm down.

It's not pointed at his head. Look at how blurry the gun is compared to the Iraqi's head in the shot. If anything, it's pointed at the guy's right leg.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-03-21 09:15am

Hotfoot wrote:
Vympel wrote:Why the fuck is that guy pointing an M16 at a dehydrated prisoners head? Jeez calm down.
It's not pointed at his head. Look at how blurry the gun is compared to the Iraqi's head in the shot. If anything, it's pointed at the guy's right leg.

So it's pointed at him instead of at his head. There's two marines standing over him giving him water, and we have a zealot making sure the Iraqi doesn't spontaneously combust into a cloud of anthrax or something. The other two marines probably told him to fuck off after the picture was taken.

The_Nice_Guy · Post by **The_Nice_Guy** » 2003-03-21 09:22am

Uhm, it's standard POW procedure. Certainly that was what I was taught back in provost training. POWs with hands free(uncuffed) should be aimed upon by a trooper about 5 meters away while his squadmates secure the prisoner/s.

Look at the surrender pictures. In every case you could a trooper in the background aiming his gun at the surrendering troops while their buddies secure them.

It's always better to be safe than sorry.

But in this case I think it was a matter of the picture taken just as the gun drifted into view. It didn't look like it was aimed, considering that we can't see beyond the barrel and the trooper holding it. Furthermore, the posture of the Iraq and his arms suggest strongly that he had already been cuffed. I don't think the troopers are that paranoid.

The Nice Guy

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2003-03-21 10:14am

"I claim this truck in the name of the USA! Isn't that lovely?"

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2003-03-21 12:30pm

Oh not this US propaganda.... They can give mercy to one soldier, but kill civilians with their bombs.
I would rather show some from the "US bombs in Iraq" material...

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-03-21 12:33pm

Stas Bush wrote:Oh not this US propaganda.... They can give mercy to one soldier, but kill civilians with their bombs.
I would rather show some from the "US bombs in Iraq" material...

Right, anything that does not fit into your preconception of what this war is like is nothing but propaganda.

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2003-03-21 12:38pm

I don't have preconceptions in thinking of war. I have serious preconceptions agains UNreasoned and illegal agression, that's what the Russian government says and I agree completely.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-03-21 12:45pm

Stas Bush wrote:I don't have preconceptions in thinking of war. I have serious preconceptions agains UNreasoned and illegal agression, that's what the Russian government says and I agree completely.

Where are these huge civilian casualties, exactly?

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-21 02:37pm

Iraqi soldiers and their defense at the Great Zab river.

US Cobra fires at Iraqi Positions

The 1st Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment fire 51mm illumination rounds.

847 squadron supporting the Royal Marine Commando assault on Iraq.

In Umm Qasr, Marine 'Raiders' take cover
from Iraqi fire, with British artillery rounds continuing.

**************

British soldiers of 40 Commando take prisoners at the Al-Faw Peninsula.

Near Safwan, Marines take Iraqis.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-21 02:44pm

Marine Maj. Bull Gurfein rips down a poster of Saddam Hussein
in Safwan, Iraq.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-21 03:08pm

Great stuff, guys.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-21 04:09pm

BRITISH TROOPS

British soldiers Lance Cpl. Cameron Mowbury of Hemel Hempstead, England, left, and
LCpl. Robert Beckwith of Baldock, Hertfordshire, England, take a break from training
on their Honda XR 250 motorcycles during a sand storm Tuesday, March 4, 2003, near
their camp in the Kuwaiti desert.

A British soldier of the Queen's Royal Hussards stands a top his Challenger 2 tank during a
combined arms training exercise to storm enemy trenches in the desert outside Kuwait City,
Thursday March 13, 2003

British Sergeant Steve Hornsby of Z company, The Royal Fusiliers, test fires a new Minime machine
gun in the Kuwaiti desert in one of the final exercises before moving to the border with Iraq
(news - web sites), March 18, 2003.

British Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineer (REME) Cfn.
Emma Martin-Law, 24,(R) from Haywards Heath, raises her cap
during a St. Patrick's Day celebration in the Kuwaiti desert,
March 17, 2003. Some 500 Irish Guards donned fresh
Shamrocks imported from Ireland, as the troops get ready for
the final descision to go to war in Iraq

Members of British 23 Engineer regiment air assault train for dispatch riding on the Kuwait-Iraq
(news - web sites) border, March 15, 2003.

British ghurka soldiers, a part of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment wait in formation
in the Kuwaiti desert near Iraq (news - web sites)'s border, prior to the visit of Chief of
staff of the British armed forces General Sir Mike Jackson, March 7, 2003

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-03-21 05:39pm

Hey Shep, any insight as to why the Marines are wearing dark green BDU's in the desert?

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-21 05:41pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:Hey Shep, any insight as to why the Marines are wearing dark green BDU's in the desert?

That's always bothered me. We spend millions of dollars on
desert camouflage BDUs, and then when we hand out the
body armor and load bearing vests, they're in fucking
woodland camo ?

WTF?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-03-21 06:06pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:Hey Shep, any insight as to why the Marines are wearing dark green BDU's in the desert?
That's always bothered me. We spend millions of dollars on
desert camouflage BDUs, and then when we hand out the
body armor and load bearing vests, they're in fucking
woodland camo ?

WTF?

The area of Iraq the Marines are in actually has a fair amount of plant life, and if they head further north it's only a few miles to reach the Euphrates.The Army is in the destert, but its unlikely there will be any infantry action before they also reach greener areas.

Warspite · Post by **Warspite** » 2003-03-21 06:20pm

"Which way to the pub?"

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2003-03-21 06:50pm

INCREDIBLE STUFF, SHEP!!!

Stas Bush wrote:I don't have preconceptions in thinking of war. I have serious preconceptions agains UNreasoned and illegal agression, that's what the Russian government says and I agree completely.

Tell me you're not American, Stas. Don't believe everything some state/national government tries to feed you. Hell, I'm a Proud American and as patriotic as they come, but I don't just gamely accept everything Uncle Sam's Gov says.
Respectful disagreement based on free thought and decision-making is always welcome, but I will not just stand by while my information-space gets polluted by someone who buys a piece of propaganda lock-stock-and-barrel. Have A Nice Day.