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The United States prepares for Iraq - next?

The United States preparations for the next major phase of the war on terrorism and rogue states in the Middle East continues apace with the deployment to a forward operating base at Camp Doha in Kuwait of the 3rd US Army Headquarters under the command of Lt. General Paul Mikolasheks. The 3rd Army HQ, normally based at Fort MacPherson in Georgia, serves as the forward-deployable element of US Army Forces Central Command (ARCENT) when so designated by the Commander-in-Chief, US Central Command (USCINCCENT), currently General Tommy Franks.
 
As the AFI News Release on the 11th October correctly reported some of the main units that would make up the 3rd Army's strength, the 3rd Armoured Corps at Fort Hood in Texas and its two Divisions, the 1st Cavalry (Armoured) and the 4th Mechanized had been ordered to prepare for transport to the Middle East in late December-early January and that the 3rd Mechanized Division at Fort Stewart was on standby to join the 82nd Airborne and 101st Air Assault Divisions from the 18th Airborne Corps once the plan of campaign against first Iraq, then Syria and Hezbollah, Iran's terrorist assets in the Lebanon had been finalized.
 
Both the Ist Cavalry and 4th Mechanized Divisions have been involved in extremely intensive desert training for the last two months and it is believed that advance elements of the Ist Cavalry have already arrived in Kuwait. In both Kuwait and Qatar  the US Army has preposition the MIAI Abrams main battle tankds and M2 Bradley armoured vehicles of an Armoured Brigade and these units are likely to be soon prepared for the arrival of their crews and accompanying infantry and support units.
 
The New Year will see the War spread
 
Combined with the new deployments of Special Forces, CIA Covert Action Teams into Kurdish territory and the large scale preparation for a renewed air onslaught from Turkey and the enhanced Carrier Air Wings in the Gulf, the New Year may well see Iraq become the next major target on the United States hit list along with smaller scale and largely clandestine actions in Somalia and the Yemen.
 
The Middle East faces a prolonged period of conflict, particularly as the Afghanistan campaign may not yet be done and dusted as many in the Media appear to believe. Most of the Al Qa'ida forces and many of its leaders have successfully evaded being killed or captured and are safely in Kashmir, while the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence agency has done everything possible to ensure the survival of the Taliban within safe havens close to the border.
 
In addition upto 15,000 fully armed Taliban fighter are still at large within Afghanistan and they may indeed choose to launch an extensive guerrilla war against the new coalition Government in Kabul once the United States has turned its attention elsewhere. As US Defence officials have constantly reminded the world, this campaign against terrorism may well last longer than the Great War and World War Two combined.
 
Richard M. Bennett
 
 

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