“By the time the vanguard of the US invading force had reached the outskirts of Baghdad [in early April 2003], the armed forces of Iraq had almost disintegrated. The regime tried to use the Arab ‘volunteers’ who had flocked to join the battle against the invaders. Some 4,000 were reportedly in Baghdad, awaiting orders from the Iraqi High Command. They were thrown into a hopeless battle in the airport area against the Americans, and were decimated.” [The 5th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Ali A. Allawi, The Occupation of Iraq, Page 89