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Looking For Trouble |
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March 17 |
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(Published March 18) THE thunder of rotor-blades and the roar of jet engines filled the desert. US pilots were putting the finishing touches to their preparations for an all-out attack on Iraq. With the diplomatic wrangling apparently at an end, the signs on the ground are that it will be hours, rather than days, before those pilots are putting their skills into practice. The precise details of the British and US battle plan remain a closely guarded secret, changing by the minute, with the political situation, but all the indications are that the military campaign which has now become inevitable will begin with an air bombardment on a scale never before witnessed, closely followed by a US military thrust across the border, possibly as early as tonight. Turkey's refusal to countenance a land invasion from its territory has forced a rethink of earlier plans, a decision which could lead to a greater involvement for British forces than initially contemplated. Without a launch-pad in Turkey, some US forces may now have to race past Baghdad into Northern Iraq to split Saddam Hussein's forces and take pressure off those divisions given the task of seizing Baghdad and other key cities, including the southern stronghold of Basra. The latter task may now fall to Britain's 1st Armoured Division, currently camped out in the Kuwaiti desert some 25 kilometres from the Iraqi border. All the signs yesterday were of an army ready for action. Throughout the day, US Marine Cobra attack helicopters clattered low overhead, familiarising themselves with the British vehicles on the ground in an attempt to limit the number of friendly-fire incidents, which military commanders admit are inevitable. Far above them, F-18 Hornets screamed through the air, taking their instructions from fire commanders attached to the British troops. Many of the Challenger tanks which had been parked under camouflage netting were also on the move, strung out in lines facing the Iraqi border to the north. The British Armoured Division is unlikely to take part in the first push across the border, but those waiting for orders to advance do not expect to be far behind. With the temperature on the ground rising every day, they cannot afford to wait much longer. Already the heat is stifling, soaring into the late twenties in centigrade and nudging the early thirties, growing hotter day by day. With the heat come flies, which have multiplied dramatically in recent days. When they do eventually move forward, possibly as soon as tomorrow night, it should be through a hole punched in the Iraqi minefields by US and British engineers and the following US armoured divisions. Python minefield clearing devices, rocket-propelled lengths of explosive hose 200 metres long, will have been fired across the minefields, then detonated, before Avri vehicles fitted with mine ploughs finish the job. Iraq is not believed to have laid many new minefields, but its approach to the use of mines - a magpie mentality, as one Royal Engineer described it - has concerned military commanders enough to persuade them to conduct exercises in the last couple of days to make troops aware of the danger. They have been told to expect to find anti-personnel mines scattered among anti-tank mines, in contravention of the Ottawa Convention on landmines. Once the minefields are cleared and the US divisions have plunged on northwards, British forces are expected to follow on through the gap, swinging towards Basra. The reasons for that delay in moving towards Basra, a mere 18 miles the other side of the border appear to be a mixture of military and political considerations. Military commanders may hope that by giving the population of that city a chance to rise up, as they did in the last Gulf war and overthrow the defending forces, the British troops who have fought their way through the defences outside the city will encounter little opposition inside. From the political standpoint, it would not hurt Tony Blair to be able to justify the British involvement as a humanitarian act designed to prevent further bloodshed from internecine fighting within the city. To get there, the advance would be spearheaded by Challenger 2 tanks of the 1st Armoured Division, working closely with the Warrior armoured personnel carriers travelling slightly to their rear. The Challenger crews know that they will not advance unopposed, with Iraqi troops and tanks thought to be dug into defensive positions along the way. But they appear confident that they can overcome the Iraqi defenders, whose medium tanks, the Soviet-built T-55s and T-59s should prove no match for the Challengers with their 120mm guns firing high explosives and armour-piercing shells. According to Squadron Sergeant Major Ross Anderson, a Royal Scots Dragoon Guard attached to the 1st Black Watch battle group, they expect to punch their way through the defensive positions without too much risk to themselves. If their confidence is justified, they could be expected to reach Basra within a single day. Sgt Maj Anderson, a 35-year-old who saw action in the first Gulf war, believes those involved in the fighting will be too wrapped-up in their own jobs to have time to worry too much about the opposition they may encounter. "When you attack, you tell everybody to focus on their separate tasks and that takes your mind off everything else," he said. For the younger members of the tank crews, one of the hardest parts of the preparation for what lies ahead is coming to terms with the reality of battle. "They have a sort of exercise syndrome, treating it like training and it is very difficult for it to sink in," Sgt Maj Anderson said. "The trouble is trying to make them understand that it is no longer an exercise and that when called upon they are going to have to do their jobs. "For myself, I am not particularly nervous. Having seen the plan that is going to be used and having seen the assets on call to assist us I don't believe the sweat level is a major concern. I am sure we will be able to deal with the threat. "The only thing that would affect us is if he uses his chemical weapons, but we've all been training for it to ensure that we can deal with it." The tank crews certainly appear to have confidence in the Challengers, 53 tonnes of armoured fighting machine capable of charging across the desert at up to 60km per hour. If and when the attack comes, the Challengers will be followed into action by the Warriors, their troops inside preparing themselves for the moment they must leap out and engage an enemy. For many of them, it will be their first taste of combat and the defining moment in their young lives. As the crackle of machine-gun fire drifts over the camp from the ranges away across the desert, the helicopters disappear into the distance and the full moon rises in the eastern sky. In the west, all that is left is an orange glow on the horizon as the sun sets on what may well prove to have been the last day of peace.
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(Original copy) The thunder of rotarblades and the roar of jet engines filled the desert of Northern Kuwait yesterday, as US pilots putt the finishing touches to their preparations for an all out attack on Iraq. With the diplomatic wrangling apparently at an end, the signs on the ground on the Gulf now are that it will be hours, rather than days, before those pilots are putting their skills into practice. The precise details of the British and US battle plan remain a closely guarded secret, changing by the moment with the political situation, but all the indications are that the military campaign which has now become inevitable will begin with an air bombardment on a scale never before witnessed, closely followed by a US military thrust across the border, possibly as early as tonight (Tuesday). Turkey’s refusal to countenance a land invasion from its territory has forced a rethink of earlier plans, a decision which could lead to a greater involve-ment for British forces than initially contemplated. Without a launch pad in Turkey, some US forces may now have to race past Baghdad into Northern Iraq to split Saddam Hussein's forces and take pressure off those divisions given the task of seizing Baghdad and other key cities, including the southern stronghold of Basra. The latter task may now fall to Britain’s 1st Armoured Division, currently camped out in the Kuwati desert some 25 kilometres from the Iraqi border. And all the signs there yesterday were of an army ready for action. Throughout the day US Marine Cobra attack helicopters clattered low overhead, familiarising themselves with the British vehicles on the ground in an attempt to limit the number of friendly fire incidents which military commanders admit are inevitable. Far above them, F-18 Hornets screamed through the air, taking their instructions from fire commanders attached to the British troops. Many of the Challenger tanks which had been parked up under camouflage netting were also on the move, strung out in lines facing the Iraqi border to the north. The British Armoured Division is unlikely to take part in the first push across the border, but those waiting for orders to advance do not expect to be far behind and with the temperature on the ground rising every day they cannot afford to wait much longer. Already the heat is stifling soaring into the late twenties and nudging the early 30 degrees centigrade, growing hotter day by day. With the heat come flies, which have multiplied dramatically in recent days. When they do eventually move forward, possibly as soon as tomorrow night (Wednesday), it should be through a hole punched in the Iraqi minefields by US and British engineers and the following US Armoured Divisions. Python minefield clearing devices, rocket propelled lengths of explosive hose 200 metres long, will have been fired across the minefields, then detonated, before Avri vehicles fitted with mine ploughs finished the job. Iraq is not believed to have laid many new minefields but its approach to the use of mines – a magpie mentality, as one Royal Engineer described it – has concerned military commanders enough to persuade them to conduct exercises in the last couple of days to make troops aware of the danger. They have been told to expect to find anti-personnel mines scattered amongst anti-tank mines, in contravention of the Ottowa Convention on landmines. Once the minefields are cleared and the US Divisions have plunged on northwards, British forces are expected to follow on through the gap, swinging towards Basra. The reasons for that delay in moving towards Basra, a mere 18 miles the other side of the border appear to be a mixture of military and political considerations. Military commanders may hope that by giving the population of that city a chance to rise up, as they did in the last Gulf War and overthrow the defending forces, the British troops who have fought their way through the defences outside the city will encounter little opposition inside. From the political standpoint, it would not hurt Tony Blair to be able to justify the British involvement as a humanitarian act designed to prevent further bloodshed from internecine fighting within the city. To get there, the advance would be spearheaded by Challenger 2 tanks of the 1st Armoured Division, working closely with the Warrior armoured personnel carriers travelling slightly to their rear. The Challenger crews know that they will not advance unopposed with Iraqi troops and tanks thought to be dug into defensive positions along the way. But they appear confident that they can overcome the Iraqi defenders, whose medium tanks, the Soviet-built T-55s and T-59s should prove no match for the heavily armoured Challengers with their 120 millimetre guns firing high explosives and armour-piercing shells. According to Squadron Sergeant Major Ross Anderson, a Royal Scots Dragoon Guard attached to the 1st Black Watch battle group, they expect to punch their through the defensive positions without too much risk to themselves. If their confidence is justified they could be expected to reach Basra within a single day. Sergeant Major Anderson, a 35-year-old who saw action in the first Gulf War, believes those involved in the fighting will be too wrapped up in their own jobs to have time to worry too much about the opposition they may encounter. “When you attack, you tell everybody to focus on their separate tasks and that takes your mind off everything else. ”For the younger members of the tank crews one of the hardest parts of the preparation for what lies ahead is coming to terms with the reality of battle. “They have a sort of exercise syndrome, treating it like training and it is very difficult for it to sink in,” said Sergeant Major Anderson. “The trouble is trying to make them understand that it is no longer an exercise and that when called upon they are going to have to do their jobs. “For myself, I am not particularly nervous. Having seen the plan that is going to be used and having seen the assets on call to assist us I don’t believe the sweat level is a major concern. I am sure we will be able to deal with the threat. “The only thing that would affect us is if he uses his chemical weapons, but we’ve all been training for it to ensure that we can deal with it.” The tank crews certainly appear to have confidence in the Challengers, 53 tons of armoured fighting machine capable of charging across the desert at up to 60kmh. If and when the attack comes, the Challengers will be followed into action by the Warriors, their troops inside preparing themselves for the moment they must leap out and engage an enemy. For many of them, it will be their first taste of combat and the defining moment in their young lives. As the crackle of machine gun fire drifts over the camp from the ranges away across the desert, the helicopters disappear into the distance and the full moon rises in the eastern sky. In the west, all that is left is an orange glow on the horizon as the sun sets on what may well prove to have been the last day of peace.
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(News copy published March 18) BRITISH troops massing in Kuwait have been ordered to carry their bulky protective suits with them at all times, in the clearest signal yet that an assault on Iraq is imminent. From midnight, they were all told to open up their Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) suits and take them wherever they go, indicating that military commanders fear Saddam Hussein will respond to the start of war by unleashing his full arsenal of weapons. "These suits are bulky and awkward to carry, so this shows how close we are to moving," said one of the troops . British forces were also warned yesterday that friendly fire incidents are inevitable, despite every effort to avoid accidental casualties. Captain Jesus "Bull" Garcia, of the US Marines , attached to Britain's 7th Armoured Brigade, warned that closer co-operation between the US and UK did not rule out incidents such as the one during the last Gulf war in which nine British soldiers were killed when their armoured personnel carrier was hit by weapons fired from a US aircraft. Air controllers from the US Marines have been attached to UK forces to co-ordinate strikes by US jets and helicopters on Iraqi positions. Capt Garcia said: "It does cut down the risk of friendly fire, but unfortunately it is going to happen out here because of the amount of forces around and the chaos of the battlefield." He said the situation would be more dangerous if the Iraqis lit oilwells, sending vast clouds of black smoke drifting across the battlefield. Operations at night also carried a greater risk, he said, because it was not as easy to identify ground forces. "We will do more than try to limit the amount of wrong targets and friendlies on the ground," he said. "It is unfortunate sometimes we tell the ground forces to stay behind a line and they wander beyond it ... that area is fair play for our pilots." In a further attempt to limit casualties from friendly fire, British armoured vehicles have been fitted with unique identification panels and beacons which can be switched on if they fear they are at risk from attack. Vehicle commanders have also been issued with global satellite positioning devices to pinpoint their location as accurately as possible. Yesterday, US Marine F-18 Hornet Jets and Cobra attack helicopters were involved in extended exercises in the air above British troops camped in the Kuwaiti desert near the Iraqi border, learning to identify British vehicles by sight and by the image they produce on thermal imaging sights. The exercise also involved simulated attacks. A team of four US Marines has been attached to every British brigade, the first time they have co-operated so closely with British forces. Capt Garcia said: "It's my job to tell the commander of the risks involved, and if they are not happy with that we won't provide air support." He added that British troops appeared happy to have the Marines operating alongside them: "They understand we are here to help. This is a new thing and it means that they know the US firepower is there to help keep the enemy's head down." Captain Rob Sandford, of the Black Watch, said British forces accepted friendly fire was a risk in any operation: "We know that there are certain risks, particularly in a battle where burning oilwells could obscure the close air support, but we are happy that as much as possible has been done by the US to avoid any accidents."
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(Original news copy) Friendly fire incidents are inevitable if Britain and the United States invade Iraq, despite every effort to avoid accidental casualties a US military official warned yesterday. Air controllers from the US Marines have been attached to British forces in the Gulf to co-ordinate strikes by US jets and helicopters on Iraqi positions and to try to avoid incidents such as the one in which nine British soldiers were killed and 16 injured when their Warrior armoured personnel carrier was hit by weapons fired by a US air-craft during the last Gulf war. But yesterday there was a warning from Captain Jesus "Bull" Garcia, from the US Marines' 3rd Anglico Battalion attached to Britain's 7th Armoured Brigade in Kuwait, that accidents would happen despite the decision to place US air controllers with British troops for the first time in combat. And he said that if there were friendly fire incidents this time, they would probably be the fault of troops on the ground straying into areas which they had been warned to avoid. "It does cut down the risk of friendly fire but unfortunately it is going to happen out here because of the amount of forces around and because of the chaos of the battlefield." Captain Garcia said that the sit-uation would be more dangerous if the Iraqis lit their oil wells, sending vast clouds of black smoke drifting across the battlefield. Operations at night also carried a greater risk, he said, because it was not as easy to identify forces on the ground. "We will do more than try to limit the amount of wrong targets and friendlies on the ground," he said. "It is unfortunate that sometimes we tell the ground forces to stay behind a line and they wander beyond it and that area is fair play for our pilots." In a further attempt to limit casualties from friendly fire, British armoured vehicles have been fitted with unique identification panels and identification beacons which can be switched on if they fear they are at risk from attack. Vehicles commanders have also been issued with global satellite positioning devices to pin down their location as accurately as possible. Yesterday US Marine F-18 Hornet Jets and Cobra attack helicopters were involved in extended exercises in the air above the British troops camped out in the Kuwaiti desert near the Iraqi border, learning to identify British vehicles by sight and by the image they produce on thermal imaging sights. The exercise also involves simulated attacks on positions north of the British mines. A team of four marines has been attached to every British brigade, the first time they have co-operated so closely with British forces. And Captain Garcia said it was up to British commanders to decide whether they were prepared to risk friendly fire incidents before calling in air strikes. "It's my job to tell the commander of the risks involved and if they are not happy with that we won't provide air support," he said. "There are more problems when it is hard to see where the friendlies are but it is up to the company commander to ensure that he knows where his men are. We will tell them our limitations." The US controllers believe that Cobras provided the most effective and safest form of close air support because they can fly below the cloud cover, hovering until they can visually identify their targets and see through the smoke with their thermal imaging sights, opening fire form up to eight kilometres away. And Captain Garcia said that the British troops appeared happy to have the Marines operating alongside them. "They understand that we are here to help," he said. "This is a new thing and it means that they know the US fire power is there to help keep the enemy's head down." The US aircraft most likely to be deployed in support of British forces include F-18 Hornet fighter bombers, carriers, Cobra AH-1 attack helicopters and Huey gunships. They usually attack in pairs and the US controllers claim to be able to deliver two strikes every ten minutes, 24 hours a day. Captain Rob Sandford, of the Black Watch, said that British forces accepted that friendly fire was a risk in any operation. "We know that there are certain risks particularly in a battle where burning oil wells could obscure the close air support," he said. "But we are happy that as much as possible has been done by the US to avoid any accidents." In other developments Turkey's continued refusal to allow US forces to attack Northern Iraq from its territory is understood to have prompted a rethink of military plans for any invasion.US forces in the south may now have to push on northwards, leaving Britain's 1st Armoured Division to take the southern city of Basra. With the political situation now deteriorating, and the temperature rising in Kuwait every day, British troops on the ground believe that they could be in action as early as tonight (Tuesday). |