Ready To Move In

If President Bush opts for a war with Iraq, how quickly can he have one? Pretty fast, it seems. It took the U.S. five months to build up forces before starting the war with Iraq in 1991. But they had to be drawn mostly from bases in Europe. With the cold war dead, most U.S. forces have left Europe for home. In the aftermath of the Gulf War, however, much of their gear has been relocated to a ring of bases set up in the Persian Gulf. Its proximity to the front line — and the fact that technology has made the military more efficient — means that by mid-December the U.S. should be ready to start fighting Iraq again, Pentagon officials say.

Air assaults would kick off a new war. America's $2 billion radar-eluding B-2 bombers could attack Iraq from bases in the U.S., England or Diego Garcia, and Navy warships already in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean could pummel key Iraqi targets with long-range cruise missiles. Once Iraq's air defenses are crushed, more vulnerable F-14s and F-18s from three or four Navy carriers by then in the region could begin striking additional targets. The speed of the air war would depend in part on which neighboring countries — Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Turkey, Saudi Arabia — allowed allied jets to launch from their territory.

The start of an air war would probably be the trigger for moving more ground forces to the region. Already, the U.S. has some 30,000 ground troops and their equipment within striking distance of Iraq, Kuwait being the main depot. An additional 45,000 troops could rapidly be flown into the region to be married up with materiel stockpiled since the 1991 war at Diego Garcia, a seven-day sail away. Some military experts think 75,000 troops would be sufficient to overthrow Saddam. They could certainly start the effort while the U.S. pumped more forces into the theater.

TURKEY
The U.S. Air Force patrols Iraq's northern no-fly zone from the Incirlik base in Turkey
Personnel -- approx. 1,700
Aircraft: Fighter planes -- approx. 36
Assorted support and surveillance planes

SAUDI ARABIA
The kingdom served as the prime staging point for the 1991 Gulf War, but the Saudis may refuse the U.S. use of their territory for another invasion
Troops -- approx. 10,000
Patriot missiles -- 64
Aircraft:
Fighter planes -- 42
Surveillance planes -- 8
Assorted support and reconnaissance planes

DIEGO GARCIA
This British territory is used by both the U.S. Navy and Air Force
Aircraft:
Bombers -- 8
Stealth bombers -- expected 4 or 5
Assorted support aircraft
Troops -- approx. 1,000
Equipment for 3 brigades
Tanks -- approx. 350

KUWAIT
Camp Doha, built as a temporary facility in 1991, is command central for Army forces in Kuwait. A permanent base is being constructed at Camp Arifjan. Meanwhile, troops are housed in desert tent cities close to the Iraq border. Flights patrolling Iraq's southern no-fly zone also leave from air bases here
Troops -- approx. 10,000
Tanks -- approx. 522
Patriot missiles -- approx. 64
Equipment for 3 brigades
Aircraft:
Fighter planes -- approx. 52
Helicopters, including attack -- approx. 75
Assorted support, surveillance and transport aircraft

BAHRAIN
The Navy's Fifth Fleet, as well as a special-operations command site, is based here. The Muharraq Airfield serves as a support base for southern no-fly zone patrols
Naval headquarters personnel -- approx. 1,200
Aircraft: Assorted transport, support and surveillance planes

AT SEA
Two U.S. carrier battle groups are in the region (U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and U.S.S. George Washington in the Mediterranean) and are expected to be joined by three others by mid-December U.S.S. Constellation, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk and U.S.S. Harry S Truman). Together, these groups comprise:
Ships -- 49 to 51
Sailors -- approx. 55,000
Aircraft -- approx. 350
Tomahawk missiles -- 800
The one amphibious ready group present, together with another expected in the region by mid-December, will contain:
Ships -- 6
Sailors and Marines -- 7,600

QATAR
In recent years, the Pentagon has upgraded the al-Udeid air base as a possible alternative to Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan base. In 2000 the U.S. opened in Qatar the largest prepositioning base outside America
Troops -- approx. 3,000
Tanks -- approx. 175
Aircraft:
Reconnaissance planes -- 5
Assorted cargo and support aircraft
Antipersonnel land mines -- 7,776
Equipment for 1 brigade

OMAN
The U.S. flies aircraft from three Omani air bases, and Oman served as a base for refueling aircraft in the 1991 Gulf War
Troops -- approx. 3,000
Aircraft: Gunships -- approx. 6
Assorted bombers, surveillance and support aircraft

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Bases in the U.A.E. support the southern no-fly zone patrols
Personnel -- approx. 500
Aircraft: Spy planes -- 2
Assorted reconnaissance drones and support planes

Sources: Center for Defense Information; ; NASA