War Plans on President's Desk

Associated Press ^ | 9-21-02 | Robert Burns

[bonesmccoy]

President Bush has received a detailed Pentagon plan containing military options for deposing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein a senior defense official said Saturday

The highly classified plan, delivered to the White House in early September by Gen. Tommy Franks, the Central Command chief who would execute any military action in Iraq, will undergo additional refinements in the weeks ahead, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

On a visit to U.S. troops in Kuwait, Franks said Saturday his forces are ready if called upon.

"We are prepared to undertake whatever activities and whatever actions we may be directed to take by our nation," he said at a news conference. But he also noted: "Our president has not made a decision to go to war."

Thousands of American and Kuwaiti forces are preparing to begin a large-scale training exercise, called Eager Mace, using amphibious, ground, air and naval forces. The exercise, which is held periodically in the Kuwaiti desert — most recently in May 2001 — has not been publicly announced.

Franks' delivery of his war plan to Bush was first reported in Saturday's New York Times. The newspaper cited officials familiar with war planning as saying the Franks' plan contains the number of ground troops, combat aircraft and aircraft carrier battle groups that would be needed to knock out Iraq's air defenses and military communications and then seize Baghdad.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee ( news - web sites) this week, Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a key concern of war planners is the possibility that Iraq would launch an attack on U.S. and allied forces in the region using weapons of mass destruction. He suggested that Iraq's means of delivering such weapons — by ballistic missile, aircraft or other means — would be among the priority targets at the outset of a U.S. attack.

As Bush considers his options for using military force against Iraq, his administration is simultaneously consulting with Russia and other countries on a new U.N. resolution that would threaten Iraq with war if it does not meet its decade-old obligation to disarm.

Russia is leaving the door slightly open to compromise on the U.N. resolution. Russia's decision could turn on whether it gets new and convincing evidence that Saddam is building up stockpiles of dangerous weapons.

Talks will continue at the United Nations ( news - web sites), where the United States and Britain are trying to overcome resistance from Russia, China and France to leveling new demands without proof.

A defiant Iraq announced Saturday that Baghdad would reject any new U.N. resolutions Saddam's government believes are unfavorable.

"The American officials are trying ... to issue new, bad resolutions from the Security Council," Iraq's state-run radio said.

There was no immediate comment from the White House.

Bush's request for a congressional resolution to authorize the use of force against Iraq continues to draw a mixed reception.

Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., criticized Bush's approach and said "we must not be hell-bent on an invasion until we have exhausted other possible options to assess and eliminate Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction program.".

"We must not act alone," he said. "We must have the support of the world."

But Sen. Joseph Lieberman ( news, bio, voting record), D-Conn., said there was now broad support among Democrats for Bush's resolution. "We feel that the president should be authorized to take military action (without) the U.N. if the U.N. will not do it," he said.

[bonesmccoy]

Condi: Mr. President- we need homeland defense.

GWB: Can someone call the Senate and tell them to get the security of our country funded?

GWB: Someone call Daschle and tell him to pass a homeland defense bill now.

President George W. Bush September 21, 2002 lambasted the Senate for considering a bill that would force a new homeland security department 'to fight against terror threats with one hand tied behind its back.' Bush is seen speaking to guests at the Republican Governors Association fall reception in Washington on Sept. 19. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

[rintense]

Eager Mace

Cool code name. I like it.

[bonesmccoy]

GWB: Take me to a secure location, I can't stand idiot Senators from South Dakota!

[bonesmccoy]

Senator Lott is thinking, "hmm... Daschle's got a bald spot on the top of his head..."

[bonesmccoy]

Hastert is thinking... "I can't wait until November's elections are over and I won't have to hear this guy talk so much"

[ohioWfan]

Pray for this man. The weight of the world is on his shoulders right now.

[bonesmccoy]

President Bush: Senator Daschle, we would like your support for a stronger Homeland Defense bill.

translation: Tom, Get of your g-d damn high horse and stop screwing up our war plan! Cheney, is sitting on my right hand side because we're going to be in a secure location. If you want a secure location for yourself, pass this bill and secure the nation!

[bonesmccoy]

GWB: Your next Gephardt.

[bonesmccoy]

hope you Bush babes like the photo essay

[rintense]

These are great! It's always fun to tell a story with photos.

[LibWhacker]

Dubya should attack just before the New Moon on October 2 or so, i.e., present the traitors in the Senate with a fait accompli, and DARE them to whine about it just before an election!

[Squantos]

Seriousness of the situation aside that first pic of GW and Condi has sack race written all over it :o)

Stay Safe !

[johnb838]

Sometimes I think Condi's too cute to be NSA.

[Aracelis]

Yeah, and an empty space where his brains ought to be...

[Sub-Driver]

so when will be leaked to the NYT?

[bonesmccoy]

Story was posted by NYT at Yahoo also, but they were too ... well... wordy.... LOL

[bonesmccoy]

GWB: Mr. Gephardt, please accelerate your cooperation with Mr. Hastert.

Translation: Would you tell this guy on your right to get out from under his desk and get us a bill?

[bonesmccoy]

GWB: Mr. Gephardt, this is Mr. Cheney. He's going to be in a secure location, which you will not be in, unless you pass us a Homeland Security bill!

[Amerigomag]

I'm making a prediction for October 30. October 2 seems too early.

A reminder that the UN sanctioned war started over ten years ago and hasn't stopped. We are authorized to continue combat operations in the "no fly" zones and have been taking advantage of that pretext for some weeks now in preperation for the assult on the Bagdad region.

Military personell just out of theater report that we have begun to agressively attack not only air defenses in these zone but also logistics and personell concentrations on the ground with the aid of incountry targeting. We are also concentrating on control of the western desert to shield Israel from missile attack.

The reports you've heard about the likelyhood of large scale desertions in the face of our advance are not based on Gulf War observations and surmises but on actuall experinecs in the past few weeks in the western desert when Iraqi troops are subject to both air and ground directed assult. They are running for Bagdad.