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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-446236,00.html The Times (London) October 14, 2002 Bush orders Army battle staff and ground troops to Kuwait >From Tim Reid in Washington -The deployment of the battle staffs of the Army�s V Corps, with headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany, and the Marine Corps� 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Pendleton, California, largely completes the command structure that would manage an Iraqi invasion. -The latest deployment, defence officials say, will shorten the time required to mount an invasion of Iraq.... -Several thousand US troops are already in Kuwait and the Army has a command element there overseeing operations in Afghanistan. -More than 600 battle staff from US Central Command, which would have overall responsibility for an Iraqi invasion, are to move to a new air base in Qatar next month from their headquarters in Tampa, Florida. THE Bush Administration stepped up its preparations for war against Iraq yesterday by ordering the deployment of key US Army and Marine Corps battle staff and ground troops to Kuwait. The move, the first non-routine dispatch of conventional troops to the Gulf in recent months, came as Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary, prepared to order smallpox vaccinations for up to 500,000 troops. The deployment of the battle staffs of the Army�s V Corps, with headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany, and the Marine Corps� 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Pendleton, California, largely completes the command structure that would manage an Iraqi invasion. The decision to send the Army and Marine teams to Kuwait follows other steps by the Pentagon in recent weeks, including the build-up of military equipment in the Gulf region and the accelerated maintenance of aircraft carriers in US ports and in the Gulf. The latest deployment, defence officials say, will shorten the time required to mount an invasion of Iraq should President Bush decide to attack, giving him the capability of sending in troops within two weeks of a decision. This gives the White House a longer period for possible diplomacy but a rapid reaction to non-compliance of weapons inspections by President Saddam Hussein. Several thousand US troops are already in Kuwait and the Army has a command element there overseeing operations in Afghanistan. However, the V Corps staff, whose combat units are specifically trained for fighting in the Middle East, and those of the Marine group will focus on Iraq, Pentagon officials said. More than 600 battle staff from US Central Command, which would have overall responsibility for an Iraqi invasion, are to move to a new air base in Qatar next month from their headquarters in Tampa, Florida. The move is described as a pre-arranged �exercise�, but there is little doubt that the officers, including General Tommy Franks, who would be in charge of any military campaign, will stay in Qatar ready for war. General Franks has his naval command staff in Bahrain, headquarters for the US 5th Fleet. The Air Force, which has been enforcing �no-fly� zones over northern and southern Iraq since the end of the Gulf War, has a command centre at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. One of the worries about building up forces near Iraq is that Saddam could launch a pre-emptive strike with chemical or biological weapons. This has persuaded Mr Rumsfeld to decide that smallpox vaccinations should start as early as next month. Barring objections from President Bush, Pentagon officials say, troops will begin to have smallpox shots as soon as the vaccine is licensed in mid-November. Of the 1.4 million Service members on active duty, 350,000 to 500,000 could be immunised. Most would be in units likely to be deployed to the Gulf in any war. The programme is likely to be used by the White House to test public support for mass civilian smallpox vaccination. Last month the US Department of Health and Human Services disclosed a plan to inoculate the entire US population (285 million) to safeguard against a terror attack with biological weapons. The White House, meanwhile, dismissed the latest Iraqi offer on weapons inspections as �word games�, as Baghdad continued to send mixed messages about its willingness to co-operate with UN weapons inspectors. On Thursday in a letter to Hans Blix, the chief UN weapons inspector, General Amir al-Saadi, an adviser to Saddam, failed to confirm detailed UN arrangements, ignored demands for access to Saddam�s presidential compounds and hinted at further talks. A second letter sent on Saturday was more conciliatory, but again failed to confirm logistical arrangements made between inspectors and Iraqi representatives. It also continued to ignore the presidential compounds issue. In Baghdad yesterday, General Hussan Mohammed Amin said Iraq reserved the right to end its co-operation with weapons inspectors. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
