ABU DHABI Ñ U.S. forces are staging the largest military exercise in
Kuwait since the Gulf War.
4,000 troops of the U.S. army's 2nd Brigade and 3rd Infantry Division
are participating in the two-day live-fire exercise which began on Saturday.
The 2nd Brigade is the
largest U.S. force deployed in Kuwait.
100 M1A1 Abrams tanks, 90 Bradley fighting vehicles and helicopters are
also participating in the maneuvers in the Kuwaiti desert.
The United States has maintained a brigade in Kuwait since the end of
the Gulf War in 1991 but the Bush administration is expected to deploy a at
least 110,000 troops in the Gulf if the U.S. goes to war against Iraq.
Official sources said Bush is ready to authorize the deployment of another
50,000 troops in addition to the 60,000 already stationed in the Gulf.
Kuwait has agreed to permit U.S. forces to launch a war on Iraq from the
sheikdom on condition that the United Nations approves the attack
The U.S. is also preparing to fight a war on two fronts Ñ in Iraq and
in Afghanistan, Gen. Richard Myers, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of
Staff said.
"We have to be capable of fighting on two fronts," Myers said. "No
question in anyone's mind about that. Clearly we are pledged in Iraq. We are
prepared to fill these pledges and obligations at any time. The U.S. is
obviously capable of fighting a war on two fronts. But the issue is that we
are probably not going to have to do that alone."
In London, Ministry of Defence officials said that Britain will provide
40,000 naval support forces. The force will include 5,500 Royal Marines of
the 3 Commando Brigade and 20 ships of the Navy and Fleet Auxiliary, led by
the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and the helicopter carrier Ocean.
Britain will also deploy special forces, a small armored division, RAF
bombers and surveillance and refuelling aircraft to prevent a Scud missile
attack on Israel from mobile launchers in the western deserts of Iraq.
1,000 U.S. troops are expected to arrive in Israel by the end of 2002
for a joint exercise to operate Patriot anti-missile batteries. The troops
will remain in Israel for the duration of a campaign against Iraq.
