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To: TobagoJack who wrote (30242)	3/27/2003 9:16:03 AM
From: elmatador	Respond to of 74559

"perhaps 10 men with assault rifles could temporarily disrupt a convoy backed by tanks, helicopters and armored personnel carriers." Long Iraq Supply Lines Open Chink in U.S. Armor Thu March 27, 2003 06:44 AM ET asia.reuters.com By Matthew Green NORTH OF NASSIRIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - Convoys of trucks hauling food and ammunition to troops spearheading the U.S.-led thrust into Iraq are looking increasingly like a chink in the invasion force's armor. In a surprise attack witnessed by Reuters on Wednesday, a small group of Iraqis using guerrilla tactics pinned down a column of some 80 vehicles supporting U.S. Marine combat units. Gunfire crackling from mist-shrouded trees by the roadside sent Marines dashing for cover behind vehicles, before tanks smashed through the undergrowth to hunt down the attackers. "We couldn't see who was shooting at us," said Lance-Corporal John Grimes, 19, who dived back into his truck without firing a shot at the hidden assailants, his combat fatigues splattered with mud. "The bullets were hitting real close, within inches of us," he told Reuters after the raid, north of the town of Nassiriya. The attack, the first against this U.S. Marine truck platoon since the war began last Thursday, showed that a group of perhaps 10 men with assault rifles could temporarily disrupt a convoy backed by tanks, helicopters and armored personnel carriers. There were no reports of casualties on either side during the 30 minute firefight, but the battle strained nerves among Marine drivers, many of whom had never been in combat before. The threat to the supply lines was underscored last Sunday when an U.S. army supply convoy apparently made a wrong turn during a battle near Nassiriya. U.S. officials said their soldiers were ambushed by Iraqi irregular forces and some were taken prisoner. The threat of ambush is not just a frightening prospect for Marines riding in slow-moving trucks visible for miles across the desert, but a potential headache for Pentagon planners. Logistics are crucial in any war, but in this invasion they have a particular significance. Strong supply lines are vital to sustaining the pace of what Washington wants to be a rapid campaign, making them a tempting "soft target" for Iraqi troops whose weapons can barely scratch the M-1A1 battle tanks spearheading the advance. Without supplies, even invincible tanks cannot fight long. Unlike in the 1991 Gulf War when U.S.-led forces liberated Kuwait from seven months of Iraqi occupation, the logistics lines needed to sustain the invasion stretch more than 300 miles across open sand and scrubland. Sandstorms, or the mist that follows desert rain, can provide ideal cover for guerrillas, who might operate wearing civilian clothes in small units that can slip past tank and helicopter patrols. "It's small ones that we have to be concerned about because they can just sneak up on us," said Lieutenant Colleen Cauley, who helped direct the convoy's defenses during Wednesday's attack. "If you're not ready for them, they can destroy us," she said. EXPLOSIONS, GUNFIRE Convoys do their best to make themselves into "hard targets," using heavy weapons mounted on their trucks. In Wednesday's firefight the Marines hit back with 40 mm grenades fired from MK-19 launchers and .50 caliber machine-guns. An occasional blue flash, followed by an earth-trembling impact seconds later, signaled the firing of anti-tank TOW missiles mounted on Humvee all terrain vehicles. Super Cobra attack helicopters skim the tops of the trucks as they patrol the road, providing some reassurance for drivers who must also watch for anti-tank mines that would blast their vehicles. When officers are asked about the threat to their men, they repeat the Marine mantra: training will get them through. "Our guys are trained, they know how to react," Captain Andrew Bergen, who led the convoy, told Reuters after the attack. "They need to be prepared to get moving, return fire and keep the enemies' heads down, while we get the hell out of there," he said.

To: TobagoJack who wrote (30242)	3/27/2003 11:19:47 AM
From: smolejv@gmx.net	Respond to of 74559

>> what is the world coming to<< Full circle I'd say. It all sounds so horribly familiar. Need to have my brain trimmed to stop seeing old patterns in new (?) situations. RegZ dj