March 29, 2003, 0924hrs MSK (GMT +4 DST), Moscow - During the past day the situation on the US-Iraqi front remained largely unchanged. The US is continuing reinforcing the attack group near Karabela for a thrust toward Baghdad. By the morning of March 29 up to 20,000 coalition troops were massed in the area of Karabela. This forces includes up to 200 tanks, 150 artillery systems and more than 250 helicopters. The order for the attack will be given by the coalition commander Gen. Tommy Franks, who, according to intercepted radio communications, will personally inspect the troops during the next several hours.
The coalition troops have so far failed to take An-Nasiriya despite categorical orders from the command and more than 800 combat missions by the strike aircraft. All attempts to break through the Iraqi defense were met by Iraqi counterattacks. After 24 hours of fighting the coalition troops only managed to advance several hundred meters in two sectors near An-Nasiriya at the cost of 4 destroyed armored personnel carriers, no less that 3 Marines killed by sniper and mortar fire, 10 wounded and 2 missing in action. The exact Iraqi losses are being determined.
The Americans have also failed to advance near An-Najaf. Every coalition attack was met by massive artillery barrages from the Iraqi side. Later during the day the Iraqis mounted a counterattack throwing the US forces back by 1.5-2 kilometers. No fewer than 10 Marines were killed or wounded. After exchanging fire for six hours both warring sides remained in the same positions. Iraqi losses in this area are estimated to be 20 killed and up to 40 wounded.
Exchange of fire continued in the area of the Basra airport. The Iraqis destroyed one coalition APC wounding two coalition soldiers. The Iraqi losses are difficult to estimate, but available information suggests that up to 20 Iraqi soldiers and local militia members might have been killed in the air and artillery strikes.
The psychological levels among the city's residents, according to interviews, is far from critical. The Iraqi military made several public announcements to the residents offering them a chance to leave the city. However, most of the residents do not want to leave, fearing the fate of the Palestinian refugees, who, after losing their homes, gained pariah status in the Arab world. Basra's residents were extremely depressed by the video footage aired by the coalition command showing Iraqis on the occupied territories fighting for food and water being distributed by the coalition soldiers. The city's population views this as a sample of what awaits them if the Americans come...
A report was obtained, prepared by the Al-Kuwait-based [coalition] Psychological Operations Tactical Group for the [coalition] Special Ground Forces Command. The report analyzed the effectiveness of the information and propaganda war. According to the report, analysis of the television broadcasts, intercepted radio communications, interrogations of Iraqi POWs show that psychologically the Iraqis are now "more stable and confident" that they were during the last days before the war. This, according to the report, is due primarily to the coalition's numerous military failures.
"... Following nervousness and depression [of the Iraqis] during the first days of the war we can now observe a burst of patriotic and nationalistic feelings. ... There has been a sharp increase in the number of Iraqi refugees, who left the country before the war, returning to Iraq. A "cult of war" against the US and the UK is now emerging among the Iraqis ...", the report states. [Reverse translation from Russian.]
[Coalition] analysts believe that if this attitude of the Iraqis is not changed within the next 7 days, a "resistance ideology" may take over the Iraqi minds, making the final [coalition] victory even more difficult. In response to this report the US Army Psychological Operations command decided to combine all Iraqi POWs into large groups and to distribute the resulting video footage to the world media. A more active use of the Iraqi opposition was suggested for propaganda work in the occupied villages. The same opposition members will be used to create video footage of the "repentant" Iraqi POWs and footage of the local [Iraqi] population "opposing Saddam."
Radio communications intercepted during the last five days suggest that the coalition is using an Israeli airfield for conducting night air strikes against Iraq. Combat aircraft are taking off regularly from the [Israeli] Hatzerim and the Navatim airbases [and] do not return to the same bases but fly toward the border with Jordan while maintaining complete radio silence.
Possibly these are just Israeli Air Force exercises, However [Russian] radio intercept and radar units observe increased intensity of radio communications coming from the Jordanian air force and air defense communication centers during such overflights, as well as changes in the operating modes of the US Army "Patriot" tracking radars deployed in Jordan. This indicates the Israeli airbases as used as forward airfields or that some of the coalition air force units are based there. Normally the IAF F-15I fighter-bombers and A-4N strike aircraft operate from the Hatzerim airbase and the F-16 fighter-bombers operate from the Nevatim base.
Experts believe that these airbases may be used by the F-117 stealth bombers "officially" based at the Al-Udaid airbase in Qatar. Using these two locations minimizes the risk to the F-117s by allowing them to fly along the left bank of the Euphrates (in the direction of Turkey) and to avoid dangerous maneuvering over Iraq.
The destruction of the telephone stations in Baghdad did nothing to disrupt the communications of the Iraqi army. The coalition command acknowledged this fact after analyzing the dense [Iraqi] radio traffic. Because of that the USAF was ordered to employ the most powerful available [conventional] munitions against predetermined strategic targets. This attack will be carried out immediately before renewing ground advance.
Massage increases blood flow, which enhances the removal of waste substances, and boosts oxygen in the blood. Sports therapy massage is geared towards treatment of specific parts of the body – usually muscoloskeletal problems. Sports massage focuses on muscle-tendon junctions and even a half hour treatment can increase movement in affected areas.
After an injury, scar tissue is formed which is less pliable than undamaged muscle fibres. Trigger points within the muscles can refer pain and inhibit local muscle contraction. Massage can optimise muscle movement and put flexibility back into joints.
The actual massage therapy varies between patients – depending on the related sport. Also, not only is it useful for post-game stresses and pains, sports massage can also help you before an event, to optimise muscle flexibility.
At Serenity in Gosport, Kevin Bartrop will give you a treatment lasting between 30 minutes and an hour. Oil or cream will be used and only the area being massaged needs to be exposed. The initial after effects can slow you down and you should drink plenty of water.
Linda Taylor provides consultation for Bach Flower Remedies at Serenity Sanctuary in Gosport. These remedies are ideal drug-free methods of treating moods and emotions and they are safe for not only adults and children but also pets and plants.
Our health and wellbeing depends on the balance within our body and soul. We each have our own unique make-up of components that make up our mind, body and spirit. We also experience different things in different ways, so the way our mind and body copes with life varies.
Each Bach Flower Remedy is for a specific emotion or mental state and is designed to bring us back to the harmony within ourselves. The most well known and commonly used Bach Flower Remedy is Rescue Remedy, which contains five of the 38 flower remedies and is used for emergencies and calming in traumatic situations.
Basically the remedies are essences of 37 flowers found in our countryside. the one exception being water from a natural spring.
They work with our bodies own intelligence and are self diminishing once you have been brought back to balance
When you come to Serenity Sanctuary, Linda will give you a consultation session to determine your emotional state. Between you, you will decide which Bach Flower Remedy to take. The Remedies can be varied at any time so you can order refills or consult with Linda to change the Remedy.