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[However, Kennedy adjusted the numbers to account for undecided black voters, who overwhelmingly vote for Democrats, and said the runoff election currently stands in Blanco's favor. With that adjustment, Blanco would get 53 percent of the vote, compared to Jindal's 47 percent]
Republican Primary Trial Heat (among Republican voters): Cecil Underwood 30% Robin Capehart 8% Sarah Minear 8% Dan Moore 3% Monty Warner 3% Doug McKinney 2% Other 3% Undecided 43%
Democratic Primary Trial Heat (among Democratic voters): Joe Manchin 46% Darrell McGraw 11% John Perdue 5% Jim Humphreys 4% Lloyd Jackson 3% Jim Lees 3% Spike Maynard 2% Robin Davis 2% Other 1% Undecided 25%
"Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?"
Right Track: 38% (42%) Wrong Track: 50% (44%)
* * * * *
Ipsos-Reid 9/16 - 18
"Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?"
Right Track: 37% (39%) Wrong Track: 57% (56%)
* * * * *
Fox News 9/23 - 24
Who should control congress?
Democrats 41% Republicans 36% Neither/Unsure 23%
* * * * *
Democracy Corps 9/14
Who should control congress?
Democrats 47% Republicans 42% Neither 1% (unch) Not sure 11%
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
Republican Guard on the Offensive
In what might be the most baffling move to date in the Invasion of Iraq, the Republican Guard appear to be leaving Bagdad in a convoy of perhaps a thousand armored vehicles. They are moving toward US troops in Najaf south of Baghdad and are expected to reach US/UK forces sometime tonight. It has also been reported that between 70 and 120 armored vehicles have left Basra in a similar caravan.
Coalition military officials believe the forces are heading south to attempts to retake a key Euphrates River bridge that U.S. forces captured earlier this week.
The obvious question is, what the hell are they thinking? Saddam's only chance to create any sort of long-term resistance was to resort to urban, door-to-door warfare. Instead, he has literally lined up the Republican Guard and Armored vehicles for an easy air-raid. I don't get it.
Of course the intent is to stall US forces and supposedly take back the above-mentioned bridge. Thing is, I don't think they're even going to make it that far since US forces are already on the attack.
Belgium currently has a law on the books that allows its courts to "try suspects for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, regardless of where the alleged acts took place or the nationality of the accused."
Not surprisingly, Bush is a prime candidate for such a trial:
"'I expect there to be, any day, a suit against President (George W.) Bush in Belgium,' Herman De Croo, speaker of Belgium's lower house of parliament."
Of course such actions would be unacceptable so what does the Administration do? Why they threaten Belgium, yet one more sovereignty sure to be placed on the "invasion list" right after North Korea, Iran, Syria, France and Germany.
"Critics of the law, including the United States, have warned Belgium that its role as host to international institutions like NATO and the European Union, would be threatened if a war crimes suit were filed against Bush."
And in particular, Powell followed in the tradition of Ari Fleischer's Orwellian statement, "people should watch what they say", when he said:
"For a place that is an international center they should be a little bit concerned about this."
Subtle, yes. But the implication was clear -- Don't you dare humiliate Bush by allowing a "war crimes" suit against him!
Now what do you suppose could have gotten into Powell's pants that would make him stoop to personally threatening our allies? Maybe it was this:
"[Powell] was named last week in a lawsuit for alleged crimes during the 1991 Gulf war along with former US president George Bush and current Vice President Dick Cheney."
"The lawsuit against him was filed by seven Iraqi families over the bombing of a civilian shelter in Baghdad that killed 403 people on the night of February 12-13, 1991."
I don't know about you, but if I were accused of "war crimes" in a legitimate court, I might just rethink my actions going forward. I might reflect upon my policies and agenda. I might wonder if there is a better way. But not the Administration. No way. To them, such actions are merely confirmation that there are a "lot of whackos out there" determined to undermine their agenda. No qualms. No regrets. Just threats.
Iraqi Resistance Forces a Change in US/UK Strategy
I noted yesterday that the "coalition" strategy of heading directly for Baghdad leaves both a thinly stretched supply-line open to attack and a front-line exposed to the rear. Apparently, the original assumption that there would be little Iraqi resistance outside of Baghdad allowed for such a strategy. Now that strategists have seen that the Iraqis will not go quietly, they are forced to rethink their priorities:
"Allied forces have shifted the focus of their land campaign in Iraq to concentrate on defeating the fedayeen and other militias serving Saddam Hussein in the south before beginning the battle for Baghdad, senior officers said tonight."
"The American strategy had been to bypass Iraq's southern cities and drive toward the capital to take on the Republican Guard and ultimately topple Mr. Hussein's government."
"But the resistance from the militia groups to the rear of the advancing allies has been so stiff that commanders have concluded that this Iraqi threat has to be addressed first."
"The attack on the Republican Guard will be delayed while American and British forces fight in and around Iraq's southern cities."
Commanders claim that the delay into Bagdad will be "measured in days not weeks". In addition, everyone involved still believes that the true challenges in this invasion have yet to be seen.
1155 GMT - Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf denies reports the port of Umm Qasr is under the coalition's control.
1030 GMT - Iraqi officials say at least 14 people were killed and up to 30 injured when a busy shopping area in Baghdad was hit by two missiles. Staff with Reuters news agency say they have counted at least 15 bodies. Locals say 45 people have died.
0955 GMT - The Iraqi satellite TV station is back on air. It had been off air since about 2am.
0805 GMT - The Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish army, General Hilmi Ozkok, says Ankara says he can send more troops into northern Iraq if he feels its security is threatened - but only after consultations with the US.
0719 GMT - UK Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon says a direct attempt has been made to take Iraqi television off the air. He says the aim of overnight attacks had been to target Iraq's command and control facilities in Baghdad.
0646 GMT - US Marines run into stiff Iraqi resistance, halting their advance north from the city of Nasiriya towards Baghdad, according to a reporter.
0600 GMT - Iraqi state television appears to be on air despite the bombing of station by US-led forces hours earlier. Iraq's international satellite channel remains off air.
0450 GMT - Al-Jazeera television channel reports several large explosions rock the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, shortly after air sirens sounded in the city.
0427 GMT - Pentagon confirms that Iraqi state television is off the air after station was hit by precision-guided bomb and cruise missile. Denies reports that new, so-called "e-bomb" was used. (Note: an "e-bomb" emits a powerful electromagnetic pulse that fries electronic circuits while keeping the surroundings intact, thus disabling electronic equipment in the vicinity.)
0342 GMT - US Central Command in Qatar says coalition cruise missiles and bombs struck Iraq's main television station in addition to key telecommunications targets, damaging the regime's "command and control capability".
0005 GMT - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warns that the US and its allies will have to provide humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people until security conditions improve in the country.
Combat Report - March 25, 2003 (Second half of Day)
2103 GMT - Iraqi state TV broadcasts goes off air for 15 minutes, before coming with weaker signal. It means back-up systems are being used, journalists in Baghdad say.
2100 GMT - Two UK soldiers killed in friendly fire incident near Basra. Two more said to be seriously hurt.
1946 GMT - Reports saying there is an uprising of Iraqi civilians in Basra against Iraqi soldiers are confirmed. It's thought it's a rebellion by the Shia population of Basra, who are against Saddam.
1944 GMT - Emergency meeting of United Nations Security Council announced to discuss the war in Iraq - to be held on Wednesday.
1930 GMT - Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed Sahaf says there is no uprising against authorities in Basra.
1718 GMT - Reports say that Iraqi people living inside Basra have started to fight against soldiers loyal to Saddam.
1433 GMT - General Renuart says "terrorist-like" cells are responsible for the resistance in Basra.
1414 GMT - Major-General Victor Renuart of US Central Command says US forces are "on track" despite the bad weather.
1352 GMT - Kuwait announces that an Iraqi missile has been shot down in its airspace.
1351 GMT - The US Fifth Fleet in the Gulf raises its alert level amid fears of suicide attacks from Iraqis using speedboats.
1339 GMT - A light but steady stream of Iraqi defectors continues to arrive in the Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Iraq, reports the BBC.
1320 GMT - About 500 Iraqis have been killed in the last two days by US forces in the south of Iraq, according to Command Sergeant-Major Kenneth Preston, who oversees the US 3rd Infantry Division.
1320 GMT - US General Myers says sandstorms will delay advance to Baghdad.
1240 GMT - US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Richard Myers tells American television that he believes the toughest fighting in the war with Iraq is still ahead.
1235 GMT - Iraqi television broadcasts a message, allegedly from Saddam Hussein to tribal chiefs urging them to "escalate and enhance" their fighting against the "aggressors".
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