[A-List] US imperialism: Iraq

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Quiet redeployment of American forces in the Gulf suggests attack will be
delayed
By Kim Sengupta in Manama, Bahrain
The Independent, 25 October 2002

It is certainly not a retreat, not even a reversal of long-term strategy,
but the United States has been quietly redeploying its forces in the Gulf,
hinting that an attack on Iraq may be delayed.

After a steady build-up of troops in the area, much of it undisclosed, to
60,000 in the past seven weeks, America's momentum appears to be slowing as
the diplomatic war over a new United Nations resolution reaches its final,
crucial phase.

The headquarters of the US 5th Fleet continues to host a battle group in
Bahrain led by an aircraft carrier. But, diplomatic sources said, there are
no plans, as had been expected, for the USS Abraham Lincoln to be joined by
another carrier. The USS George Washington, which was in the Gulf before
Lincoln, is believed to be on its way home.

The Amphibious Ready group of the US Marines, has also left the area
recently. The force, which will play a key role in any assault on Iraq, is
undertaking an exercise in Djibouti, in the horn of Africa.

At the same time, the upsurge of recent activity by al-Qa'ida and their
sympathisers has led to an upgrading of security for American and British
service personnel arms and equipment. There are fears about possible suicide
attacks on shipping in the Gulf.

At present the US base in Manama is home to about 2,000 personnel, a figure
that is expected to rise to almost 4,000 if and when the decision is made to
initiate the final stages of military planning. Its numbers have recently
been stable.

The American naval force includes attack submarines, cruisers, destroyers
and up to 70 fighters. The USAF has bombers, tactical fighters and
refuelling tankers at Sheikh Isa air base. The British contribution consists
of a small number of Nimrod reconnaissance aircraft and VC10 tankers -
again, without recent increases to these numbers.

Pentagon officials have said the continuing haggling at the UN over the
wording of the resolution could delay the deployment of American troops for
a possible attack against Saddam Hussein's regime. If a resolution is
adopted and weapons inspectors return to Iraq for operations expected to
take months, then the time frame is almost certain to slip beyond this
winter.

Both US and British commanders are believed to oppose the deployment of
further large contingents of personnel to the Gulf if plans for an attack
are put on hold. Keeping servicemen and women in the same bases or aircraft
carriers for months on end is thought to sap morale, which is why the
marines have been sent to Djibouti.

But the Pentagon has now secured all the roll-on roll-off vessels necessary
for directly shipping heavy armour into the area, and this is likely to
continue, diplomatic sources said. About 600 members of CentCom, the US
Central Command at Tampa, Florida, who are due in Qatar next month, are
still expected to arrive, purportedly for an exercise.

There is little sign of political support for a new war from the governments
in the region that supported the United States in the 1990-91 Gulf War.
Bahrain, which is holding its first democratic elections in 29 years, fears
the economic and political consequences of an assault on Iraq could be
extremely unpleasant .