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25. mars 2003
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The planes strike back
Remember the British warplane accidentally shot down by a Patriot missile? A US F16 warplane decided it was time to get even, and fired a missile at a a Patriot battery when its radar locked onto it. Nobody was injured in this incident.
10:16:30 PM 
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Police officer arrested for Djindjic assassination
A senior police officer has been arrested, charged with assassinating Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic. Serbian authorities seem quite confident they have now caught the man who fired the shot.
7:28:27 PM
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Major discovery!
The British supermarket chain Iceland has invented the first non-melting ice lolly. Parents worldwide will no doubt be eternally thankful for the new product, which instead of melting and leaving a sticky mess on children's faces and clothes (not to mention car seats and furniture), changes into a fruit jelly that still stays in place.
6:02:57 PM
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US again claims Iraq may use chemical weapons
Again, we hear about the famous "US intelligence reports" saying that iraq may use chemical weapons. According to these sources, Iraqi republican guards are ordered to use WMDs if the coaltion forces cross a specific 'red line' around Baghdad.
"Wolf, wolf!" the boy cried.
9:11:25 AM
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Need reinforcements
As coaltion forces are bypassing pockets of resistance as they are rushing to Baghdad, concerns are raised about the forces being over-extended, leaving supply-routes behind the frontline too vulnerable.
7:40:29 AM
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Microsoft will teach students to write secure code
"The University of Leeds in the United Kingdom has received partial funding from Microsoft to teach would-be developers to write secure code." (CNet)
Good grief! Coming up with funny comments on this is like shooting fish in a barrel. As they say, waste of ammo.
5:46:37 AM
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Turkey-shoot
William Saffire, the NYT's token rightist columnist, argues that Turkey's sabre rattling was really an obvious attempt to grab Iraq's oilfields. Now Turkey finds itself running quickly out of friends.
There may well be an open position in the axis of evil post soon. I consider this a good application from Turkey.
Erdogan also wants to bring Turkey into the European Union. This will surely give pause to an already skeptical EU, and make Americans less likely to lobby on Turkey's behalf.
4:58:35 AM
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Estimated price of war: $74.7bn
George Bush will ask Congress for $74.7bn to pay for the war in Iraq and domestic counterterrorism. The figure is based on an estimate of a total of six months in Iraq.
The Bush administration seems to estimate the war itself to last for 30 days.
Expect Bush to have to ask for some further $$$bns in a few months.
4:21:26 AM
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Famous last words
Sgt. Asan Akbar, the Muslim fragging US serviceman who killed one and injured 15 of his comrades, reportedly said as he was lead away: "You guys are coming into our countries and you're going to rape our women and kill our children."
In this case, at least, Islam made him feel more like an Iraqi than an American.
4:08:20 AM
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Troops admit setbacks in Basra
"We’re currently taking stock of the situation. We were expecting a lot of hands up from Iraqi soldiers and for the humanitarian operation in Basra to begin fairly quickly behind us, with aid organisations providing food and water to the locals. But it hasn’t quite worked out that way. There are significant elements in Basra who are hugely loyal to the regime." (Captain Patrick Trueman, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards)
It is notable that the Iraqis have been effective in turning the restrain and humanitarian values of the western coaltion against them. Iraqis are using paramilitaries, often using civilian clothes and hiding in civilian areas, inviting the coaltion to use excessive force that would harm civilians. Similarily, they managed to ambush and kill a number of US marines by feigning capitulation. This will no doubt make Iraqis think twice about giving up now, thinking that the coalation will be more likely to shoot first and ask afterwards.
Saddam Hussein's regime has had a long time preparing for this war, and it is no surprise that he had a few aces up his sleeve, and probably he has a few more nasty surprises.
2:09:31 AM
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Apache down
 Iraqi air defenses was obviously much stronger than expected, and a US Apache gunship regiment was forced to withdraw after sustaining damage, including one helicopter shot down. The helicopter (picture) was shown on Iraqi TV, apparently unharmed, and the crew were also displayed on TV as war prisoners.
The Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf added insult to injury by saying that two Apaches had been shot down by a "small number of... brave peasants". Of course, if you believe that, you believe anything.
Crew of the returning Apache helicopters said they had run into a "hornet's nest, a barrage of anti-aircraft fire" and were forced to turn back.
1:41:13 AM
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The ultimate switch for Apple
The long-time computer industry commentator John C. Dvorak makes a daring prediction: that within the next 12 to 18 months, Apple Computer will switch from Motorola to Intel processors.
In the long battle between Apple Macintish and the IBM-based clones (now simply called PCs, and generally running Microsoft Windows), one dividing line was between Motorola and Intel chips. The dual powers of Intel and Microsoft has obtained near-monopoly, but not without leaving a niche of a fanatical following for Apple's Mac series, powered by Motorola processors.
If Dvorak is right, Apple has become increasingly frustrated with Motorola falling behind in competition with Intel (and clone-makers like AMD), and are prepared to make a gradual switch to hardware from arch-enemy Intel.
1:19:14 AM
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The war has its first victor
 The first Gulf War was the war that made CNN a worldwide household name for immediate, 24-hour coverage, making the war look like a video game. At the time, the channel had a good reputation for impartial reporting.
After 9/11-01, CNN decided to change, to become a patriotic channel for US official propaganda.
Gulf War II seems to be the war that propels the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera (Arab only) satellite TV network into fame also beyond the the Arab countries.
While American-based media has practiced self-censorship in a way that would make old Pravda proud, the pictures of coalition casualties and prisoners, and killed and maimed civilians finds their way to the mainstream media of the western world courtesy of Al-Jazeera.
12:46:14 AM
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6 months
I posted my first entry on this blog September 25, 2002, 6 months ago today.
Time flies when you're having a good time.
12:06:11 AM
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© Copyright 2003 Jan Haugland.
Last update: 01.04.2003; 01:33:25.
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