# Guess the Start of the IRAQ war! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 5, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338 "2003-03-05T20:56:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/41 "2003-03-06T18:43:08Z")
[3/6. 8 p.m E.S.T.](http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=us&cat=bush_administration) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ace_of_Swords)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/42 "2003-03-06T18:57:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*[3/6. 8 p.m E.S.T.](http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=us&cat=bush_administration) \*\* Oh, shit. Triggering event? Poll: [Bush will lose election to Joe Random Democrat.](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030306/ts_nm/politics_bush_dc_2) ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/43 "2003-03-06T19:38:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jk1245 \* > \*\*… > > OT, but deos anyone esle think that leaflet **Ace** linked to looks like a FARK photoshop contest? \*\* [I must be psychic or something](http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=457572) (even if I can’t spell). ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/44 "2003-03-06T19:50:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FranticMad \* > \*\*Now, I generally enjoy what you have to say in your posts. But this is just wrong. Everyone did not know the day and hour of the attack in the last Gulf War. Sneak attack is the essence of war. When successful, it saves a lot of time, and a lot of lives (for your side). \*\* Thank you for the compliment. 🙂 Let me qualify what I consider a sneak attack. _ **BOOM!!!** _ (repeat several hundred times) _CNN’s Wolf Blitzer with an announcement from President Bush_ …uh… BTW Saddam…?? we’re at war now… Deadline was …uuhm 6 hours ago …? ---
**Author:** ![Coilean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Coilean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coilean)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/45 "2003-03-06T20:08:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*[3/6. 8 p.m E.S.T.](http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=us&cat=bush_administration) \*\* I don’t think we’re going to hear an announcement of war this evening. Rather, he’ll restate his intentions(for the nth time), call Saddam evil, praise God, and give the UN an ultimatum saying that if they fail to resolve the debate on his terms, veto be damned, he’s going in. His ultimatum to the UN will be a precursor to an announcement for the beginning of an attack on Baghdad. My guess on the attack date, 28 March, 23:00 local time ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/46 "2003-03-06T20:56:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duckster \* > \*\*I guess [my poll](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=166186) was too early, too detailed, or both. > > :smack: \*\* Your poll? How do you think [I](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=151526) feel? ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/47 "2003-03-06T20:58:54Z")
(I meant about guessing Feb. 7, naturally 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/48 "2003-03-07T15:06:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*[3/6. 8 p.m E.S.T.](http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=us&cat=bush_administration) \*\* Yay! I was wrong! Go me! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ace_of_Swords)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/49 "2003-03-07T16:03:10Z")
I was going to say. 🙂 How did the speech affect the odds? I must say I missed it – but it wasn’t clear from what I read if, in fact, I missed anything. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/50 "2003-03-07T16:55:34Z")
I’m changing my answer. March 24, 2003; 0000 EST ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/51 "2003-03-07T22:01:10Z")
I see a number of people have specified ‘midnight’ or ‘0000’ as the anticipated kickoff of the overt war. The problem with midnight is, it’s not in a day; it’s the point in time that divides one day from the next. But there’s no reason why we can’t use it here, but we have to decide whether ‘midnight, March 4’ is at the _beginning_ or the _end_ of March 4, so that the picks of **Skerri** , **jjimm** , and **pepperlandgirl** can have meaning. As far as ‘0000’ is concerned, I think that’s unambiguous: ‘0000, March 4’ is one minute before ‘0001, March 4’, so it’s the midnight at the _beginning_ of the day. I’ll pick March 22, 1900 hours (Baghdad time). ---
**Author:** ![HerMajestyLorna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7cd45c/32.png) [@HerMajestyLorna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HerMajestyLorna)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/52 "2003-03-08T00:33:38Z")
My pick is March 18th, at 2100 hours (Baghdad time). So what do we get if we win?? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/53 "2003-03-09T12:25:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RTFirefly \* > \*\*I see a number of people have specified ‘midnight’ or ‘0000’ as the anticipated kickoff of the overt war. > > The problem with midnight is, it’s not in a day; it’s the point in time that divides one day from the next. But there’s no reason why we can’t use it here, but we have to decide whether ‘midnight, March 4’ is at the _beginning_ or the _end_ of March 4, so that the picks of **Skerri** , **jjimm** , and **pepperlandgirl** can have meaning.\*\* Grrr, you saw through my prevarication and hedging. I’ll give you 00.00 March 27, then. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/54 "2003-03-17T16:07:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HerMajestyLorna \* > \*\*My pick is March 18th, at 2100 hours (Baghdad time). > > So what do we get if we win?? \*\* From the OP: > [@](#): > > To add to the black humour of a war pool, I’ll sweeten the pot with my used copy of Guns, Germs and Steel! And right now, you’re very much in the running, if they can get the inspectors out by then. Although you’re in a tight window between **vanilla** (March 18, as soon as it gets dark in Baghdad) and **Happy Lendervedder** (March 19, 6:50 pm EST). If it goes past that, **Dinsdale** picked March 21 at “high noon” (no time zone, though), and I’ve got March 22, 1900 hours Baghdad time. But Bush isn’t gonna wait that long. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/55 "2003-03-17T16:30:38Z")
Oops, according to CNN an Administration official has said a 72-hour ultimatum “is in the right ballpark”. If that’s from tonight’s speech, then **Dinsdale** ’s looking awfully good. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/56 "2003-03-19T18:13:52Z")
**Happy Lendervedder** seems pretty close. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/57 "2003-03-19T18:39:46Z")
Hmmm…dust storms, full moon at the end of the 48 hour get outta Dodge thing. Not a good time to fight…How 'bout Monday, 3/24, 9:00 pm Baghdad time? Too soon? 'kay…Friday 3/28, 9:00 pm Baghdad time. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/58 "2003-03-19T18:55:23Z")
Friday 21 March, 9:00 EST I think they’re raring to go but they will wait until the full moon is over … ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/59 "2003-03-20T13:47:44Z")
Ladies and Gentlemen, We have a winner! \*\* Happy Lendervedder\*\* March 19, 6:50 p.m. EST ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338/60 "2003-03-20T20:13:00Z")
YAY! Congratulations, \*\* Happy Lendervedder \*\*!! … i lost track of this thread. Nice to see who won. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-start-of-the-iraq-war/159338.md?page=4)