What Iraqi soldiers having gas masks might mean

[Charles Jannuzi <b_rieux@xxxxxxxxx>]

I can't make major comments on the military
action now except to say the Iraqi forces have
lasted far longer than I would have thought.
CNN has presented nothing but a week worth of
Pentagon-produced propaganda. Nothing, nothing, I
have seen looks like a real military operation.
Are they producing this stuff like the Mars
launch in Capricorn One? The most fake footage
has to be the northern front. I saw a CNN
reporter supposedly under fire and he wasn't even
wearing a helmet. Total bull.

As for why Iraq has lasted such withering
bombardment, I guess one lesson here is that many
'smart' weapons and jet-powered air bombardment
are really only effective against fixed
positions, and the Iraqi defense has been fluid.


Two benign interpretations of the gas masks:

1. Having them makes the US keep theirs and being
in MOPP suits is hot and uncomfortable.

2. If the Iraqis do plan to fight in close
quarters in the towns and cities, the US plans to
use tear gas and knock out gas against Iraqi
soldiers and irregulars, so having gas masks
would be extremely smart defense.

C. Jannuzi


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