[link|http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,905389,00.html|It's all about oil!]

In the midst of pepared speeches by soccer players, this:

To reach Irbil, the Baghdad players had to travel across a reinforced Iraqi frontline, past freshly dug army trenches filled with oil, and up into the mountains of Kurdistan.

I say:

Oops, bad editing there. Trenches filled with oil. Now why would a nice peace-loving benevolent dictator want trenches filled with oil? So his soldiers will have nice soft skin? Are there bath beads in there too?

Okay, now for those of us who have no illusions. What does this imply for our forces? We get near Baghdad, lay siege, and Saddam lights the oil. Civilians trying to evacuate will die from smoke inhalation and heat prostration. So will any of our boys who get too close. Well, they'll have protective gear for the smoke.

Civilians in the city will be in trouble if there's the slighest wind. Or even if there isn't. Surrounded by fire on all sides, radiant heat, oxygen getting consumed by the fires. It's Hitler in 1945 all over again. He knows he's gonna die, but he's planning to take as many of his people with him as he can. Maybe even a few of ours.

Also, all that hot smoke is gonna play hell with our sensors. Won't be able to acquire targets until the oil's all burnt.

Any chance we can put the fires out? Oil fires are a bitch.

with proper equipment, the rest having surrendered. They'll be from Saddam's tribe. They have a vested interest in the regime, so they'll fight. Think Praetorian Guard with scuba gear.

Cut off the supply of new oil, then dump sand on the trenches from helicopters. Try to sop it all up, then more sand to smother the fire. Worth a shot.