Posted on 03/26/2003 4:49:18 PM PST by optik_b
US calls up 30,000 new troops By Roland Watson in Washington and Michael Evans, Defence Editor
MORE than 30,000 American reinforcements were ordered to the Gulf last night as fierce battles raged through southern Iraq and the Republican Guard went on the offensive. American war planners were forced to change tactics and put the battle for Baghdad on hold as Pentagon chiefs conceded that they had underestimated the resistance they would face.
Armoured columns and supply convoys have come under repeated attack while trying to bolster the American front line 50 miles south of the capital. These ambushes have severely hampered the advance towards Baghdad and fuelled criticism that the Pentagon went to war with too few troops in the region.
Last night US paratroops were dropped into northern Iraq, where they took control of a key airfield in the first sign that America was opening up a northern front. Officials said that several hundred special forces troops had been operating in the area and that supplies and equipment for the airborne brigade would follow — although it was not clear how they would be delivered.
The 16,000-strong US 4th Infantry Division, based in Fort Hood, Texas, is also heading immediately for the Gulf. The division, which is one of America’s most modern fighting units, should have been used to open the northern front into Iraq through Turkey, but the plans were blocked by Ankara.
Now the division will meet up with its 200 tanks, other armoured vehicles and equipment — which had been diverted to Kuwait — and will be joined by 14,000 more troops from other units, including the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment based at Fort Carson, Colorado.
The reinforcements have been ordered in after a series of setbacks in the opening days of the war. Last night US forces were involved in a major battle with Iraqi units for control of a bridge over the Euphrates, 13 miles southeast of Najaf. A number of US Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles were destroyed by Iraqi forces using rocket-propelled grenades.
Further south, an 80-vehicle US Marines supply convoy came under heavy attack after it had stopped just north of al-Nasiriyah, another strategic crossing point.
The Marines could also encounter the Republican Guard earlier than expected: a convoy of more than 1,000 vehicles and up to 5,000 crack troops moved out of Baghdad yesterday, heading straight towards the Marines deployed in al-Nasiriyah.
US intelligence said that 3,000 of the Republican Guards had been spotted in one town along Highway 7 and 2,000 more at another town.
Another smaller column of up to 100 Iraqi tanks was heading out of Basra towards al-Faw peninsula. This group came under fierce attack from coalition warplanes and tanks.
With coalition forces failing to achieve the strides north that they had hoped for — or to take towns in the south — the Pentagon has had to shift tactics. US officials said that they would have to focus their attention on dealing with the resistance in the south before they could put everything into the march north.
The Pentagon war plan had envisaged a lightning march on Baghdad, buoyed by popular support in the newly liberated south. The aim had been to provide a solid platform for the swift toppling of President Saddam Hussein, possibly from within his inner circle.
But American officials now concede that they had underestimated the guerrilla-style resistance led by the 40,000-strong Fedayin militia that is loyal to Saddam and the vulnerability of the American supply line. One official said: “We didn’t think the Fedayin would play such a big role. It’s not a huge deal, but we will have to adjust accordingly.”
Others said that rather than keep pushing north, the allied forces would have to confront the enemy in the south before amassing troops and firepower just south of Baghdad. However, that means losing the momentum that was supposed to be the key to success.
Yesterday bad weather further hampered the allied offensive, grounding fleets of US helicopters for a second day. Combat jets were prevented from taking off from US aircraft carriers in the northern Gulf by sand blown off shore, and ships had to manoeuvre to avoid the bad weather.
President Bush continued to try to rally US morale as he prepared to meet Tony Blair for a summit at Camp David, insisting that American forces would be “relentless in our pursuit of victory”. US forces were well prepared for the battles ahead, he said. “I can assure the long-suffering people of Iraq that there will be a day of reckoning for the Iraqi regime, and that day is drawing near.” He accepted, however, that the war was “far from over” and backed away from declaring that the US was “ahead of schedule”, as had been planned.
American officials and the Vice-President, Dick Cheney, had suggested that success in the war would be quick, but yesterday Mr Bush sought to play down expectations while insisting that the result was not in question. “We have an effective plan of battle and the flexibility to meet every challenge,” he said.
Mr Blair arrived in Washington yesterday evening after a flight in which his chartered Boeing 777 was struck by lightning. The aircraft was jolted and there was a loud bang similar to the sound of under-carriage coming down as a white flash ran alongside, but the plane landed safely at Andrews Airforce Base 20 minutes later.
The Prime Minister flew from there directly to Camp David for talks with Mr Bush. The council-of-war will focus on plans for post-war Iraq, with Mr Blair pressing for the deep involvement of the UN.
Total bunk. Those units mentioned were already on deployment orders before CENTCOM forces in theater crossed the LD. The only reason they weren't there on G-Day was because of French meddling and Turkish internal politics.
According to Rumsfeld, that's simply not true. These movements have been planned out months ahead of time. And if you think about it, it's not possible to mobilize reserves at a minutes' notice.
We're just getting into the tough going, yes. But the performance has been brilliant so far. Record time, record light casualties. All the "setbacks" have been in the PR arena. Articles like this just keep the echo going.
Same here except I was watching cable TV. Chris Matthews is back and he's anti-war. That's ok but I don't like the anti-war subjective slant. A reporter on MSNBC is describing the troops as "bogged down." I went to FOX (unfortunately, they are showing less live action right now when a lot of action is taking place).
These deployements are not new developments nor did it come as a surprise. 3rd ACR has known for OVER A MONTH that they were being deployed into the theatre in the second week of April. The equipment was shipped just this past weekend and they were told that it will take about 2 weeks for the cargo to arrive in Kuwait. The farewel ceremony was planned for and held just last night.
Sorry, but these deployements have nothing to do with any new developments.
Hey, I didn't think of it like that! You especially want to give more room to spread out if you think there is going to be an NBC environment.
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