http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...ap/20030304/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iraq_military_9 The implication is that these troops are for the follow-on wave, which means that the attack will happen before they arive and disembark. Before the end of this month, for sure.
What about the troops destined for Turkey? Are they still on hold waiting for a change of Turkish heart? If no such change comes how long would it take these troops to arrive in Kuwait via the Suez? 20 days?
Re: Re: 60,000 more troops being sent According to a story I heard on NPR yesterday morning, it's important what and when Bush decides to do about the Turkey situation. If he decides to wait in the hopes that they change their mind and they don't, it will be practically impossible to get the troops to Kuwait in time for them to be part of an attack. If he decides to move the troops to Kuwait and not wait on the Turks to change their mind, they pretty much have to go back to the drawing board since a large part of the war plan apparently involved troops coming in from Turkey.
101st Airborne was (supposedly) destined for Turkey. Current thinking is that they will go to Kuwait and hopscotch up north. Elements of the 4rh Infantry Div were also supposedly supposed to go to Turkey. Saw all of the above in NYT analysis piece today. Odd that the Cav elements are just getting sent now. Those are your mechanized spearhead troops. I suppose they could be used as a follow-on and/or occupation force but if I were planning the thing I would want them in the first wave, a'la Desert Storm.
Re: Re: 60,000 more troops being sent It could take up to two weeks for the two dozen or so ships currently in the eastern Mediterranean to reach Kuwait.
The number of troops being deployed is far beyond what I imagined. I heard that with this deployment, it would bring the US presence to 310,000, with the 101st on the way. I too am curious as to why it took this long to deploy the cavalry, and the 101st, as both have proved their offensive abilities.
As of now, 82 Abn and 101 AAD are tasked with northern Iraq (I suppose air drop) 1 Mech Inf 3 Mech Inf 4 Mech Inf 1 Arm 1 Cav 1 Mar 1 Arm (UK) These are the forces committed on the ground. Kuwait is one hell of a starting point. Even without 1 Arm and the Black Horse Cav, that's 700+ M1 tanks with the same number of Bradley IFVs. Not even counting Brit forces. 1 Arm and 1 Cav would just put the number of M1s and Bradleys to over 1000 each. Ya figure these units will be heading NW towards Baghdad and then link up with 82 and 101 (who'll be securing oilfields in northern Iraq). Sounds like a bad Larry Bond novel.