US Could Be Ready for War in Iraq This Year

Yahoo News ^ | 10/10/02 | Charles Aldinger - Reuters

[AmericanInTokyo]

Oh cmon. "President has not yet decided

He HAS decided to launch war, and within the next few weeks. The American military ramp up that anyone can notice, in addition to 'training' in areas near Gulf, and other call ups, and the Senate and House votes, shows that we are in fact going to war. The worldwide press knows this as well.

[NormsRevenge]

Thu Oct 10,11:28 AM ET

The U.S. military could be prepared for war with Iraq as soon as December, according to U.S. officials and analysts. Experts in and out of government said five U.S. aircraft carriers with 350 warplanes could be off Iraq before year's end if ordered and tens of thousands of troops could be sent much more quickly than the six-months build-up to the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites). An F-16CJ patrols the Northern No-Fly Zone over Iraq in an undated photo. (Vincent A. Parker/USAF via Reuters)

[fogarty]

To do this right, I would say the activation of at least 50,000 more reservists would be required. Perhaps more. You're talking a huge reliance on airpower and air mobility. The biggest chunk of pilots and support crews for MAC (and even combat fighters) is reservists.

And if they take in more than a couple divisions (which they should), that number could be as high as 100,000 reservists.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

United States is discussing with Britain permission to build shelters for bat-wing B-2 stealth bombers on Diego Garcia.

I thought that was a done deal!

[Nonstatist]

He doesent need an excuse. It all for oil money, aint that right, shill? He can make his friends rich!! Even a simpleton like yourself can figure that out! Then, afterwards, you can have him impeached!! Yaaay!

[truth_seeker]

All he needs now is an excuse to attack. The lies put forward up to now by Bush's admin. wouldn't fool a simpleton!

Excuse? Try breach of 16 UN resolutions, or attempted assassination of G.H.W. Bush.

I know who the simpleton is. He signed up 28 Sep. 2002 on FR.

[hchutch]

It'll be by the end of October. One of two scenarios:

1. UN Resolution passes next week. Iraq spouts defiance. We go in.

2. UN Resolution vetoed by PRC and France. We go in to take down al-Qaida members hiding there, pointing out the findings in the Congressional Resolution.

Either way, the clock's ticking, and it's really a matter of days.

[RightWhale]

"You could start a reasonably good war in December by getting at least a couple of heavy divisions (about 40,000 troops) into the region," said former Assistant Defense Secretary Larry Korb

Stress on "former." It's going to be dangerous even if the enemy sits on their country estates and watches the parade go by. There are tons of chemicals and biologicals that would be hard to deal with and dispose of in the best of times.

[Man of the Right]

The best public guesstimate I've seen is an Oct. 1 Congressional Budget Office letter. They developed two planning assumptions -- Heavy Ground and Heavy Air. The Heavy Air scenario estimates 2 2/3 divisions (2 1/3 Army, 1/3 Marines); 16 air wings (10 Air Force, 5 Navy & 1 Marines); and 5 carrier battle groups, 1 surface action group, and 1 amphib ready group. A total of 253,000 troops in theater (202K active, 51K reserves) -- 93K Army, 63K Navy, 60K Air Force, 25K Marines, 12K Special Ops. Plus the Brits are going to furnish a brigade, a carrier battle group, and 2 RAF combat squadrons -- 21K troops. Personally, that sounds like overkill to me.

What many Americans don't realize is that much of this force is already in theater, including Iraq. We've got a brigade in Kuwait, and a Marine brigade afloat. We've got Army engineers building airfields in northern Iraq to take C-141 & C-130 transports and we've Special Ops people operating in northern and western Iraq with the Turks and Jordanians respectively. We've got enough equipment for a 2nd Army brigade in Kuwait, a second Marine MEB afloat, and a 3rd Army brigade enroute. There are 2 carrier battle groups in theater with their air wings to be joined by 2 others in early December. There are 2 Air Force wings in theater. CENTCOM is moving its operational headquarters to Qatar next week. And the Brits have planned "exercises" that will "coincidentally", bring a carrier battle group, the Desert Rats and SAS/SBS in theater. Yesterday, the Coalition conducted 38 combat sorties against the Iraqis.

There are rumors of Iraqi generals ready to switch sides in northern Iraq at the first shot.

I've read estimates that the force necessary could be in theater a couple weeks after Presidential authorization. command decision.

[inquest]

Try breach of 16 UN resolutions...

So we're going to war for the UN, huh?

...or attempted assassination of G.H.W. Bush

According to Bill Clinton, that is.

[The Great Satan]

Figure this gets kicked around for another few months in the UN, with more weapons inspections hoopla to kill time, then military action cranks up sometime in the spring of 2003. Anthrax vaccine will be on hand to protect the civilian population by early 2004, so figure that Bush will time things so that Saddam's back is to the wall about six months before the next Presidential election -- and not before.

[Nonstatist]

The people of the world are beginning to cry for a regime change

Only they dont vote in the US elections or give money to U.S. candidates since Bill Clinton left office (at least not as often)

So.. who cares what they think? And who cares what you think besides Michael Moore, Barbie Streisand and Noam Chomsky??

[truth_seeker]

Bush is in problems.

What planet are you hopping your clods on?

Yesterday the house and senate passed what Bush asked for by better than a 2 to 1 margin. That to you is problems?

Bush continues to enjoy extremely favorable ratings. That to you is problems?

What does Israel have to do with the current agenda, by the UN and by the US for Iraq? Or for you, does Israel ALWAYS pop up as a principle subject?

Noting your signup date 28 Sep. 2002.

[Mr. Lucky]

Well, what WOULD it take to fool you?