Assuming war in IRAQ is indeed inevitable, what day and time do you figure?
(I didn’t see this as a determinable question, so it ain’t in GD. Also, let’s please stick with the assumption; there’s enough threads to debate whether or not the war should exist that we don’t need to recreate it here. No wet blankets.)
To add to the black humour of a war pool, I’ll sweeten the pot with my used copy of Guns, Germs and Steel! You know you want it… ok, maybe you don’t, then just have fun:
Rules:
To be considered, all entries must have an exact time.
And a time zone.
Rationale optional.
I go first:
I think the Turkish Parlaiment has set us back a week. We’re losing ground in the UN, but that will merely embolden the hawks to discard the restraints with the UN. The weather is still nice and cold in the protest countries, and if we really want to keep those numbers down, I expect an early weekday on a new moon.
March 19, 6:50 p.m. EST (allowing the network news teams to get their regularly scheduled stories aired, then at the end of the broadcast, Tom, Dan and Peter are able to announce the first strikes.
Well, US and UK Special Forces are already there on the ground, as is the CIA with it’s shed loads of $100 bills. All of 'em doing their recon / making ‘friends’ missions under the protection of the US/UK established (northern and southern) no-fly zones. What you holding out for; Saving Private Ryan 2 ?
Is the date the time we actually start shooting (No fly zone attacks not included)
or is it the deadline that we impose just before we start shooting?
We are not going to do a sneak attack. We will announce the absolute final deadline and then start shooting just like what we did in the first Gulf War.
lesseee… Blix will give his report this Friday. Bush will pretend to read it over the weekend, present war resolution on tuesday (make it look like they rushed the draft) haggle haggle with china, blackmail russia call for a vote on friday, french want more time, finds out russia isnt going to veto afterall, chirac has the shits on that weekend, vote carries on wednesday Mar 19, french veto same day. Curse Chirac day on thursday… declaration of coalition deadline on friday for …April 4 Midnight Iraq time.
Barring any diplomatic breakthrus, missiles and bombers launch on Monday morning just past midnite Iraq Timezone on April 7... Just in time for the news at home.
Stock up on chips, beer and dip folks, this war is gonna last longer than the first gulf war and afghanistan combined. I’m thinking US casualties in the 5 thousand range. Last stage of the battle will be in Baghdad itself fighting door to door. No bets on who will win or lose, coz if Saddam wins, I’m moving to farthest pacific island with broadband.
Bush is just playing Saddam’s own game (smart move).
Saddam has survived for two decades by combining rhetoric with grudging concessions. Bush is going to keep rattling the sabres until he gets the ultimate concession: Saddam is out or killed.
Nobody believe Reagan’s actual plan was simply to spend the Soviets into the ground – until it worked. Same deal here. It’s all a giant exercise in posturing.
People. It has already started. US and British planes are already attacking ground to ground missile sites in southern Iraq. Whereas before they only attacked surface to air sites. And then only if they locked on.
It’s all arbitrary, so [Dons Ref’s Hat] either the major networks’ agreed start time (“Ladies and gentlemen, as of xx:yy we have attacked Saddam”) or in the strange situation where no agreement is reached, first shot fired on the ground.
Tiebreakers determined by ultra-rigorous, peer-reviewed bribery.
