War preparations
We've been told by a "top army official" that it looks like we will not be required to prepare sealed rooms after all. Ms. Imshin Suspicious Mind here is trying to work out what that means. One thing that crosses my mind is that the US and co. are in complete control of Western Iraq already but everyone's keeping shtum about it (including the Iraqis, so as not to lose face), or else they are quite certain they have destroyed all the launchers there. Another thought that comes to mind is that they are aware that we will get no early warning of the attack (and even if the powers that be get a warning they have probably promised not to let us ordinary folk know about it) and they are attempting to prevent mass hysteria if or when it starts before we've been told to prepare the rooms. But if this were the case and there was a serious danger, wouldn't they be telling us to prepare the rooms right now, in anticipation? In 1991 they started to instruct us on how to prepare the rooms quite a while before the end of the ultimatum. This time they're keeping a very low profile as far as official state TV broadcasts on the subject are concerned (there haven't been any). All we've really been exposed to so far, besides the raving of the media, is the Home Front Command booklet. On the whole I'm feeling quite optimistic about the whole situation (famous last words).
On the other hand, I've been reading about this "Shock and Awe" doctrine. They had quite a bit about it in Friday's "Yediot". I'm worried about Salam. He has said his family is not planning to leave Baghdad this time, but I've read they're not letting anyone leave anyway. I hope he doesn't live anywhere near any palaces or important installations.
I'm not bothered about the "human shield" idiot war tourists. Strike that. Reading this (another must, care of Tim Blair), they sound like a bunch of raving lunatics (and those who aren't have already opted out, or maybe fled in terror would be more accurate).
Later: I can't believe they didn't realize they'd be shielding strategic installations (and this is the relatively sane ones I'm talking about). I can't find words to describe my disgust at their stupidity.