Post Latest Iraq War News Here - Part II

[Ned]

From the story you just posted, Dan,

"Some 40 to 50 Nasiriya civilians who have fled the city reported that Iraqi paramilitaries are forcing citizens to volunteer their sons to fight, according to a U.S. Marine officer.

"If [citizens] didn't [comply with the militia's orders], they said they would shoot a sibling," said Marine Capt. Peter Tabash, who speaks fluent Arabic. Tabash says a civilian told him Iraqi forces shot a 9-year-old boy because his family refused to cooperate with paramilitary groups."

[CrONoS]

Forecasters Say Iraq Sandstorms Possible Next Week
LONDON (Reuters) - Weather experts forecast U.S.-led troops in Iraq could face more sandstorms next week, with temperatures starting their climb toward unbearable summer highs.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=focusIraqNews&storyID=2468809

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[CrONoS]

U.S. soldier dies several days after smallpox shot
ATLANTA, March 28 (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier who was recently vaccinated against smallpox has died from a heart attack, the third death among those participating in the federal campaign to inoculate hundreds of thousands of military personnel and health care workers.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N28384190.htm

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[CrONoS]

01:37 Several senior Turkish officials reported to be aboard hijacked Turkish Airlines flight

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/

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[CrONoS]

01:50 Reports: Smoke seen after explosion in Kuwait City

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/

[CrONoS]

02:10
Strong explosion hits shopping mall in Kuwait`s capital (AP)

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/

[Chilean Presidentâ„¢]

Emol.com: An explosion destroy one side of the Suk Charq shopping mall in Kuwait city, near the Ministry of Foreign Relations and the government palace of the emir of Kuwait.
Emol correspondants and the AFP have said that the air raid sirens didn't go on before the explosion.
TVN is now reporting that the explosion was produced by a Iraqi missile, but this information is not confirmed.

http://www.emol.com/noticias/internacional/detalle/detalle_noticia.asp?idnoticia=108391

TVN link

http://www.24horas.cl/detalleu.asp?idsec=1&idcont=84889

[Chilean Presidentâ„¢]

CNN en Español is now confirming that the blast in downtown Kuwait City was caused by an Iraqi missile.
There is now reported deads or injured.

http://www.cnnenespanol.com/2003/mundo/03/28/kuwait.explosion/index.html

[spiritof1202]

The missile was supposedly a silkworm from across the Gulf, and that would possibly mean Iran: they have butt loads of Silkworms and far more shore to work with than Iraq.

[Boris Godunov]

The missile was most likely Iraqi, according to investigators on the scene, and there are no casualties:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44064-2003Mar28.html

[Sandman]

A U.S congressman has demanded that the new Iraqi mobile phone network should be based on the American CDMA system, rather than the European GSM system that the rest of the Middle-East uses.

Guardian article

The congressman's website

If European GSM technology is deployed in Iraq, much of the equipment used to build the cell phone system would be manufactured in France, Germany, and elsewhere in western and northern Europe. Furthermore, royalties paid on the technology would flow to French and European sources, not U.S. patent holders.

[spiritof1202]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
The missile was most likely Iraqi, according to investigators on the scene, and there are no casualties:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2003Mar28.html

A little odd since Iran is the typical user of Silkworms, and UNSCOM mentioned nothing of them being in Iraq.

Iran is in the 'vicinity' of the Faw peninsula too. Not far at all.

Guess we'll see.

UPDATE:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/hy-1.htm

Iraq did have a ship launched variant... but their naval vessels were pretty much decimated after Bush I War.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Sandman
A U.S congressman has demanded that the new Iraqi mobile phone network should be based on the American CDMA system, rather than the European GSM system that the rest of the Middle-East uses.

Guardian article

The congressman's website

The congressman's home district is in California, the home of Qualcom, the inventors of CDMA.

BTW, I have a CDMA phone. Excellent!

[Chilean Presidentâ„¢]

Canal 13/UC-TV News Flash: Air strike over Baghdad. Several comunication buildings were the targets; the Reuters Baghdad News building and Iraqi National TV were damaged.

https://www.canal13.cl

TVN NewsFlash: Two Anti-bunkers missiles hit the 'Sum Sahaf' market this morning (March 29) on downtown Baghdad. The early reports tells about more that 55 deads and a unknow number of injured.
This morning attack also destroy a building of the national telephone company. Rescuers are trying to save more than 30 employees that were working at that building in the moment of the attack. There is no official number of dead or injured at this point.

http://www.24horas.cl/detalle.asp?IDSec=1&IDCont=84857

[ajbera]

U.S. Orders 4-6 Day Pause in Iraq Advance-Officers
Sat March 29, 2003 12:02 AM ET
CENTRAL IRAQ (Reuters) - U.S. commanders have ordered a pause of between four to six days in a northwards push toward Baghdad because of supply shortages and stiff Iraqi resistance, U.S. military officers said on Saturday.
They said the "operational pause," ordered on Friday, meant that advances would be put on hold while the military sorted out logistics problems with long supply lines from Kuwait.

The invasion force would continue to attack Iraqi forces ahead of them with heavy air strikes during the pause, softening them up ahead of any eventual attack on Baghdad, said the officers, declining to be named.

Use of gas-guzzling armored vehicles has been restricted to save fuel and food is also in short supply. In one frontline infantry unit, for instance, soldiers have had their rations cut to one meal packet a day from three.

Resistance from Iraqi militias fighting in towns along the advance lines has hampered the stretched supply convoys.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=NRNGNPIHLYNU4CRBAEZSFFA?type=topNews&storyID=2470050