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May 10, 2005
Matador updates
[This post will be continuously updated through the evening. All times US central.]
1:28 Map is looking like money in the bank. Got it down to 44kb. Thanks for all the helpful emails.
12:27am Thanks for all the thoughts. I'm aiming for one am to get it out there.
12:08 am Bandwidth issues: Anyone know how to shrink a map in terms of file space? The one I'm working on is huge. Over 1 meg. Only about 2000 page views and then then adventures will end until next month. Got to figure this one out. Any ideas, please email me.
12:04 am See this opinion piece, also from WaPo, from a couple of days ago: What Do the Insurgents Want? I think that piece is more or less reflective of the conventional wisdom about these things.
12:03am A new WaPo story is out: 'They Came Here to Die'
11:46pm A SSgt emails a correction to my earlier post about RCT-2. He says that 2/2 was not part of RCT-2 for the invasion, but 2/8 was. I was close. Memory is slipping.
11:22pm A commenter asks for verification of the Syrians being captured. I heard this second hand from the show -- perhaps a transcript will be up soon?
11:18pm I'd be remiss if I didn't give a nod to Wretchard for this post back in November, predicting operations such as this one: The River War.
11:02 pm Welcome Instapundit, Michele Malkin, and Blackfive readers. For some background on this area of Iraq, you may be interested in this: The Strategic Corporal Shows Up in Husaybah. Note: Husaybah or Qusaybah, is the same as Q'aim.
10:23pm Looking at some maps which I hope to use sometime this evening here, I believe that the location of the river-crossing was probably determined by the road network in the area. The same is true for the location of the reconnaissance platoon reportedly positioned to call for air strikes on fleeing terrorists. Perhaps Matador refers to the desired maneuver effects on the enemy forces. But it all depends on how much they have cleared Obeidi. If the enemy stands and fights, then the reconnaissance elements and blocking force will be a precaution at best.
10:21pm There has been little mention thus far of Iraqi national forces participating in this offensive. How are they being used? Are they integrated with the Marines in small units as translators, etc?
10:02pm Here's some thoughts to chew on while the graphics are in progress:
The nature of the bridging mission brings up some interesting questions: Why did the grunts cross the Euphrates on rafts? Why not Amtracs?
Also, the pontoon bridge described in the press is probably already taken back down. It is not meant to be left up for long periods of time, and would be susceptible to enemy fire. More than likely, we used assault bridging like this to cross in an unsuspected place, and then we captured a bridge for sustainment purposes, or we rolled sustainment in from much further to the east on the north side of the river.
Here's all you could ever want to know about river crossing: FM 90-13 Chapter 9.
9:49pm I'm working on some graphics to post.
9:47pm Just overheard on John Batchelor radio program that rat lines are strongest to the south. Also that Syrian intel agents have been captured in Qa'im (Qusaybah).
9:31pm Looks like new news is scarce, but I'm searching for undercovered sources.
Posted by Chester at May 10, 2005 9:32 PM
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