Troops prepared for chemical attacks

The Scotsman ^ | March 18, 2003 | GETHIN CHAMBERLAIN

[MadIvan]

Paratroopers practise wearing gas masks.

BRITISH troops massing in Kuwait have been ordered to carry their bulky protective suits with them at all times, in the clearest signal yet that an assault on Iraq is imminent.

From midnight, they were all told to open up their Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) suits and take them wherever they go, indicating that military commanders fear Saddam Hussein will respond to the start of war by unleashing his full arsenal of weapons.

"These suits are bulky and awkward to carry, so this shows how close we are to moving," said one of the troops . British forces were also warned yesterday that friendly fire incidents are inevitable, despite every effort to avoid accidental casualties.

Captain Jesus "Bull" Garcia, of the US Marines , attached to Britain’s 7th Armoured Brigade, warned that closer co-operation between the US and UK did not rule out incidents such as the one during the last Gulf war in which nine British soldiers were killed when their armoured personnel carrier was hit by weapons fired from a US aircraft. Air controllers from the US Marines have been attached to UK forces to co-ordinate strikes by US jets and helicopters on Iraqi positions.

Capt Garcia said: "It does cut down the risk of friendly fire, but unfortunately it is going to happen out here because of the amount of forces around and the chaos of the battlefield."

He said the situation would be more dangerous if the Iraqis lit oilwells, sending vast clouds of black smoke drifting across the battlefield. Operations at night also carried a greater risk, he said, because it was not as easy to identify ground forces.

"We will do more than try to limit the amount of wrong targets and friendlies on the ground," he said. "It is unfortunate sometimes we tell the ground forces to stay behind a line and they wander beyond it ... that area is fair play for our pilots."

In a further attempt to limit casualties from friendly fire, British armoured vehicles have been fitted with unique identification panels and beacons which can be switched on if they fear they are at risk from attack. Vehicle commanders have also been issued with global satellite positioning devices to pinpoint their location as accurately as possible.

Yesterday, US Marine F-18 Hornet Jets and Cobra attack helicopters were involved in extended exercises in the air above British troops camped in the Kuwaiti desert near the Iraqi border, learning to identify British vehicles by sight and by the image they produce on thermal imaging sights. The exercise also involved simulated attacks.

A team of four US Marines has been attached to every British brigade, the first time they have co-operated so closely with British forces.

Capt Garcia said: "It’s my job to tell the commander of the risks involved, and if they are not happy with that we won’t provide air support."

He added that British troops appeared happy to have the Marines operating alongside them: "They understand we are here to help. This is a new thing and it means that they know the US firepower is there to help keep the enemy’s head down."

Captain Rob Sandford, of the Black Watch, said British forces accepted friendly fire was a risk in any operation: "We know that there are certain risks, particularly in a battle where burning oilwells could obscure the close air support, but we are happy that as much as possible has been done by the US to avoid any accidents."

[MadIvan]

Let's roll.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Here we go.

[AmericanInTokyo]

According to congressman Jim Moran, it's 'all the JEWWWWWSSSSSS fault!

Say, is that moron still a congressman?

[fire_eye]

Say, is that moron still a congressman?

Yes, but he's resigned as "Regional Minority Whip", so everything's OK.

We need to move on now...