The Houston Chronicle March 18, 2003
Military Forces in the Middle East
More than 250,000 U.S. forces are now in the Persian Gulf area, including 16,000 in and around the Horn of Africa to fight the war on terror in Afghanistan. Here's where the U.S. troops are deployed, along with a look at the military capabilities of gulf states:
GROUND INVASION POSSIBILITIES
An invasion of Iraq could take place on three different fronts:
Northern front
If the Turkish government reconsiders and approves a U.S. request to deploy troops there, Turkey could serve as a staging ground; if not, a smaller number of troops might be airlifted into northern Iraq, where they would advance toward Baghdad, assisted by local Kurds.
Western front
A relatively small force sent in by air, these troops would scour the western desert for Scud missiles and secure airfields before advancing on the capital.
Southern front
Likely to be the largest force in attack, soldiers would enter Iraq from Kuwait and move to Baghdad.
Diego Garcia
1,000 civilian mariners for Military Sealift Command; base for B-52s
Jordan
Several hundred U.S. troops manning batteries of Patriot missiles
Djibouti
About 1,200 U.S. troops at Camp Lemonier; 400 U.S. Navy, Marine, Air Force and Army troops are aboard the Mount Whitney
Mediterranean Sea
USS Harry S. Truman
USS Theodore Roosevelt
Saudi Arabia
About 6,000 U.S. forces, mostly air force, crews and support equipment, including Patriot missile task force
Red Sea
12 warships
Turkey
About 1,700 Air Force personnel flying Operation Northern Watch patrols; future use of bases uncertain
Kuwait
About 150,000 U.S. forces at multiple army and air force bases; 18,000-20,000 British troops
Persian Gulf
USS Abraham Lincoln
USS Constellation
USS Kitty Hawk
United Arab Emirates
4,000 troops backed by Apache attack helicopters, tanks, amphibious armored vehicles, a missile boat and a frigate
Bahrain
Navy 5th Fleet Headquarters
Qatar
About 3,300 U.S. forces, including air refueling squadrons and F-15 fighter wing; U.S. Central Command Headquarters at Camp As Sayliyah
Oman
Three-quarters of U.S. Air Force reserve equipment in the Middle East located here; three air bases house B-1 bombers
RELATIVE MILITARY STRENGTH OF GULF STATES
Bahrain
Military personnel 11,000
Armored vehicles 412
Artillery 84
Combat aircraft 34
Attack helicopters 40
Iran
Military personnel 513,000
Armored vehicles 3,020
Artillery 2,395
Combat aircraft 288
Attack helicopters 104
Iraq
Military personnel 424,000
Armored vehicles 5,900
Artillery 2,050
Combat aircraft 316
Attack helicopters 100
Kuwait
Military personnel 15,500
Armored vehicles 849
Artillery 68
Combat aircraft 82
Attack helicopters 20
Oman
Military personnel 43,400
Armored vehicles 407
Artillery 120
Combat aircraft 40
Attack helicopters 0
Qatar
Military personnel 12,330
Armored vehicles 337
Artillery 40
Combat aircraft 18
Attack helicopters 19
Saudi Arabia
Military personnel 205,500
Armored vehicles 5,927
Artillery 360
Combat aircraft 348
Attack helicopters 33
U. A. E.
Military personnel 65,000
Armored vehicles 1,771
Artillery 261
Combat aircraft 101
Attack helicopters 49
IRAQI MILITARY FORCES
The Iraqi military is currently deployed to handle internal security rather than external conquest.
Ground forces
Type Iraqi Army
Number 280,000
Description Regular army units whose training and equipment readiness varies greatly
Type Republican Guard
Number 50,000
Description Elite ground forces composed of motivated volunteers who receive top equipment and training
Type Special Republican Guard
Number 12,000-15,000
Description Responsible for protecting President Saddam Hussein
Type People's Army
Number Hundreds of thousands
Description Civilian militia used to protect against internal opposition; serve as power base and counterbalance to regular army
Ground equipment
Type Tanks
Number 1,300
Description Mostly Russian-made T-72s, T-62s and T-55s
Type Armored Personnel Carriers (APC)
Number 1,500
Description Come from various countries including Egypt, Czech Republic, Brazil and China
Type Artillery pieces
Number 1,200
Description Retains capability in tube artillery, although it lost a lot of equipment during the Gulf War
Unconventional weapons
Saddam used only conventional weapons in the Gulf War, but used poison gas against Iran and against his own people in the 1980s
Air force
Type Combat aircraft
Number 300
Description Consists of Russian and French aircraft - only half of which are believed to be serviceable
Type Anti-aircraft artillery and missiles
Number 8,000
Description The U.S. claims to have destroyed 30% of Iraq's air defenses - computerized network of radar, surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery
Navy
Iraq's small Navy - with little access to the sea - was virtually destroyed in the Gulf War.
GRAPHIC: Graph: 1. MILITARY FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST (b/w, TEXT); Maps: 2. Location of Diego Garcia (color); 3. Location of Middle East countries (color); Robert Dibrell / Chronicle,
Sources: Associated Press, Knight Ridder Tribune, GlobalSecurity, Periscope, Congressional Research Service
Copyright © 2003, The Houston Chronicle Publishing Company
