Take Baghdad? Why?

John Keegan, Defence Editor for the Daily Telegraph, has some very interesting thoughts on the tactics of the coming war. He notes that in preparations seem to proceeding largely independent of various countries’ announced positions. For example, “[t]hough the Turkish parliament has voted against allowing American troops to use southern Turkey as a base, American ships are reported to be unloading equipment at the southern Turkish port of Iskanderun.”
Much concern is being expressed about the perils of urban warfare in the streets of Baghdad, which is much larger than, for example, New York City. Keegan questions whether any attack on the capital is necessary:
“It need not be necessary…to fight in Baghdad, the key to the campaign, to bring about its surrender. Blockade will achieve the same result.
“Saddam isolated within his capital would be Saddam defeated. The coalition would possess his territory, would control his oil fields, the source of his finances, and would be free to uncover the hiding places of his weapons of mass destruction.”
There is much more of interest.