Roland Dumas, the French Foreign Minister, has been quoted as saying that "we are on the eve or pre-eve of the ground offensive". An unnamed senior military official says the "table is set". Foreign Minister Aziz has travelled to Moscow to confer with President Gorbachev, reportedly in an attempt to persuade Saddam Hussein that withdrawal from Kuwait will result in the accomplishment of "mutual goals", in the region.
President Bush has received information concerning the preparedness of the Coalition forces in the gulf, and has commented that the war will end "very, very soon". After reviewing a recently submitted Kremlin plan for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait, a highly placed U.S. government source is said to have commented, "there's nothing new to consider in this proposal....the Iraqis have to leave Kuwait in a short period of time, or suffer the consequences".
Allied air forces continue to bomb Hussein's elite "Republican Guard" and reportedly destroy as many as two- hundred tanks and personnel carriers on a daily basis. According to Pentagon reports, the American air forces have developed a new "night-fighting" technique whuich is said to be particularly effective against Iraqi armor. Chicago based intelligence analysts have indicated that the new tactic involves the use of long-range infared and image intensifying technology. Pentagon spokespersons have indicated that the new techniques may have resulted in the destruction of as many as 1,500 of the Iraqi "top-line" T-62 and T-72 battle tanks. Reportedly, the only time that Iraqi forces can be found to be moving is during nightime hours.
Reliable sources in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia have privately suggested that they are prepared to attack at any time the "Commander-in-Chief" might give the "Go-order". Most military strategists indicate that the Coalition forces are now ready to launch "one of the most awesome demonstrations of fire-power that has ever occured in the history of battle". Military experts indicate that Coalition forces will not engage in the frontal assault that Hussein would desire, but rather, they will utilize "fire and movement" to "confuse, disorient, and destroy the enemy".
The concept of AirLand battle, as advocated by U.S. military doctrine utilizes devastating `flanking', Airmobile, and Airborne assaults against enemy areas of weakness. Superior Allied technology is expected to be pitted against the prepared defenses of the Iraqi forces. Few military analysts expect the Coalition forces to get "bogged" down in the multi-tiered static defenses of the Soviet trained Iraqi troops. Unlike the Iran/Iraqi conflict and it's massed "human-wave assaults" against pre-registered artillery, mines, and poison gases; Coalition forces can be expected to bypass the strongest positions and attack Iraqi bunkers from the flanks and rear. Positions that can not be immediately destroyed will be 'enveloped" and isolated until Iraqi troops surrender or are destroyed by airpower or heavy munitions.
Special Operations forces (i.e. Green Berets, Navy SEALS, Air Commandos, Rangers) are expected to have infiltrated rear areas and will, with the help of Kuwaiti "resistance fighters" destroy; command, control, communications, supply, and petroleum centers. Necessary bridges and crossroads will be controlled and secured for the use of coalition forces. Key Iraqi military targets will be subjected to "sniping" and non-conventional warfare techniques. Sophisticated psychological tactics and techniques will be utilized against the Iraqi soldiers morale. Radio and radar jamming techniques will be used against the remaining anti-aircraft and artillery units in order to confuse effective response to the attacks.
In the event that Iraq chooses to again disregard this last opportunity to withdraw from Kuwait, it will soon undoubtedly experiance the full power of the Coalition military forces. In the words of President Bush, "We are going to stick with it, we are going to prevail, and our troops will be home soon with their heads held high". While the timing of the start of the "Mother of Battles" is uncertain, the ultimate outcome is in little doubt.
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