Iraqi Perspective Project

[Tamurin]

After the capture of Baghdad in April 2003 the US faced a rare situation - the capture of the documents of one its long time enemies. The first time since 1945 everything was open to read and investigate for them.

 

After a very careful and deep analysis the US has published the IPP (Iraq Perspective Project) which shows how the war and the events leading up to it were seen from the Iraqi point of view.

 

I've read half of it and it is stunning. I'd never have thought that Saddam and his leaders were thinking like they did and ordered like they did.

 

A small "teaser" for you guys:

 

- Saddam never thought that the Coalition would launch a ground invasion. He thought that a military operation like "Desert Shield" (1998), Bosnia (1995) or Kosovo (1999) was likely to occur. His primary goal was to ensure that no Shi'a-uprising took place. Therefor his military wasn't really prepared for a ground war.

 

- Saddam didn't trust anyone. He had more security services then Hitler. The security services spied on the Army, the government, the population, each other and their own spies (because they didn't trust them either). His army commanders could only arrange meetings when they invited all known spies as well, otherwise they'd have called home and talked about "secret meetings".

 

- Saddam didn't trust the military so much that all movements of the Army except mini-movements (platoon) had to be allowed by the Grand Staff or himself. Division commanders and all above them were not allowed to talk to each other because they could've planned an uprising. Therefore division commanders had to use their own reconaissance teams to find out where the other friendlies were.

 

- Since Saddam didn't trust the Army, only the Special Republican Guard had maps from Baghdad. The Army couldn't have defended Baghdad even if they had wanted to.

 

- Since Saddam didn't trust the Army (you noticed now that he wasn't the most trusting type), he created several paramilitary groups like the Al-Kud-Army, the Fedayyin-Saddam, the Republican Guard and the Special Republican Guard. They combat value was low, but their consumption of material and manpower was high. Therefore he weakened the Army even more.

 

- To make it even worse, Saddam himself ordered new defense plans that were just horribly bad. Even Hitler made better choices in his strategies and his were already very bad.

 

- Messengers were treated like the message, meaning: Messengers who brought bad messages were most likely killed or (best-case-scenario) thrown into prison. That was common strategy since Saddam was President (1979). Therefore everybody lied as he could. We all have seen "Baghdad Bob", the minister of information, during the war. That wasn't some play for the media - he and all others believed what he said.

Corps commanders in southern Iraq told their leaders about big battles and high losses for the US, because they knew: If they said "battle lost, 90% deserted, rest dead", they'd have been shot immediately. So they lied and lied even more.

So, people in Baghdad (leaders & soldiers) thought their war was going very well. You can now imagine the shock they suffered when US tanks drove through the city...

 

Read all about it: (very interesting, rare opportunity!!)

 

Download me here, I am 7,7 MB larg

[Orioni]

After reading your post and part of the document, it really doesn't surprise me that Saddam still thinks he's president of Iraq. Which he is not.

 

[Pirilao]

In first place I thank this information.

My commentary - It thought that it was the best , the one , the only one.

[Tamurin]

@Orioni:

 

Indeed.

 

I always wanted to know if Saddam and his guys really believed what they told the press. I could never imagine that they did.

Well, I was wrong...

[Haken]

I read part of it, but it doesn't read as fleunt as your points.

 

What an adorable link, though!

 

Download me here, I am 7,7 MB larg

 

Awwwwwww.