Free Republic

SURGE TROOPS TO LEAVE VIA SYRIA President Bush announced today that US troops would be leaving the area through the Syrian port of Lattakia. US Marines will secure the port of Lattakia in preparation for the arrival of US armored forces. In addition, the US Air Force has instituted a No-Fly zone for all of Syria until further notice. In a tactic reminiscent of Sherman's March to the Sea, US Central Command issued orders for armored forces to marshall in Northern Iraq in preparation for their exit from the theater via Syria. The US Navy is stationing both aircraft carriers...

The Egyptian Tank Plant assembly line of the M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank (MBT) for the Egyptian Army is back in full production, under a co-production programme with US General Dynamics Land Systems, prime contractor for the M1A1. Under the original contract, a total of 555 M1A1 MBTs were delivered to the Egyptian Army, with final vehicles being delivered late in 1998. Since then another 200 M1A1 MBTs have been added to the contract, for production in two batches of 100. The first one of the latest order rolled off the production line in January this year and production has...