Facts about the war
Advertiser News Services
| AMERICA AT WAR: HAWAI'I IMPACT | |
| • | Kaua'i pilot leads strike group |
| • | Vietnam helicopter pilots weigh in on war |
| • | Maui awaits rescued POW |
| AMERICA AT WAR | |
| • | Iraqi regime's collapse 'days' away after raids |
| • | 'Chemical Ali' killed in Basra attack |
| • | U.S. airstrike hits Kurdish convoy |
Casualties
U.S. military: 79 dead, eight missing and seven captured
British military: 30 dead
Iraqi forces: The number of military casualties is unavailable. Coalition commanders said Sunday that at least 2,000 Iraqi solders were estimated killed defending approaches to Baghdad.
— Associated Press
Q & A
Q. How diverse is Iraq?
A. Eighty percent of Iraq's 24 million people are Arabs; most of the remainder are Kurds. By religion, nearly all the country is Muslim with a tiny Christian minority — the Catholic Chaldeans. Iraq is at least 55 percent Shiite Muslim and about 40 percent Sunni Muslim. The government is controlled by Sunnis, many of them related by family or by clan. Shiite and Kurdish rebellions have been brutally suppressed during the past 20 years.
Quote
"A first, I was bitter, thinking we didn't have a place over here. But (the Iraqi people) are thankful for the job we're doing. We went too long letting Saddam get away with what he was doing, I think, after seeing how these people live."
— Lance Cpl. Jeremy Blount of Mobile, Ala., outside Baghdad
By the numbers
1 — percent say a U.S. win is unlikely, according to a USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll
18 — days since the war began
44 — percent expect the U.S. death toll to be under 200
55 — percent think the war will end in three months or less
79 — percent say they are certain the United States will win, a jump from 69 percent a week ago
$8,000 — the bounty Saddam reportedly offered for anyone who destroys a coalition tank
10,000 — Republican Guards were estimated to be guarding Baghdad, down from a normal force of up to 60,000 men
The time
Iraq's time zone is 14 hours ahead of Hawai'i time.
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Persian Gulf weather
Tomorrow's forecast:
Baghdad — Day: 90 degrees, mostly cloudy. Night: 71 degrees.
Basra — Day: 99 degrees, partly cloudy. Night: 73 degrees.
Kuwait City — Day: 97 degrees, partly cloudy. Night: 73 degrees.
Unit spotlight
U.S. forces completed the encirclement of Baghdad yesterday as elements of the 3rd Infantry Division moved northwest of the city to cut the last avenue of escape from the Iraqi capital. The 3rd Squadron 7th Cavalry Regiment is an armored squadron of more than 1,000 soldiers attached to the 17,000-strong (and growing) 3rd Infantry Division. Unit commendations include seven Presidential Unit Citations, a Valorous Unit Award, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, the Chryssoun Aristion Andrias (Bravery Gold Medal of Greece), three Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantries with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal (First Class).
Commander: Lt. Col. Terry Ferrell
