In perhaps the first tangible indications of a logistical buildup around Iraq, the Pentagon is sending weapons and other supplies to the Middle East region, US Defense Department and military officials have said.
In its Monday edition, The New York Times reported that the Pentagon has hired two huge cargo ships to carry armored vehicles and helicopters, amongst other war supplies, and an additional eight cargo ships capable of carrying ammunition, tanks and ambulances.
The United States Air Force is stockpiling weapons, ammunition and spare parts, including airplane engines, at depots in the Persian Gulf region and in the United States. Arsenals of Air Force and Navy precision-guided weapons, which proved devastating in the war in Afghanistan, ought to be fully replenished by the fall season, military officials said.
According to high-level Pentagon officials, the logistical movements do not represent a stealth deployment and should not be interpreted as proof that a campaign against Iraq is imminent, or even a certainty, for that matter.
Some of the movements now under way were indeed ordered months or even years ago. However, taken together, the steps suggest that those responsible for arming the United States’ fighting forces in time of war are beginning serious planning, The New York Times said.
"We don't know when the next contingency might be, but we want to get this in the hands of the war fighters," General Lester L. Lyles, chief of the Air Force Material Command, said in an interview.
The New York Times added that the Pentagon is contracting for one ship to move troop-carrying combat vehicles from Europe and the US to the Persian Gulf to join equipment for four armored brigades already stored there. Another, according to the report, will carry vehicles, helicopters and ammunition to a Red Sea port for a military exercise this year.
Moreover, the Defense Department has awarded a contract to Maersk Line to operate eight cargo ships capable of carrying ammunition and tanks. The ships will be situated close to the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, home of a British base used by the United States as a staging point.
Maersk Line provides United States-flagged vessels for government and commercial service and has a fleet of 53 ships that it owns, operates or charters. The company operates 27 ships for the Sealift Command, including the eight under the renewed contract. Certain cargoes, such as military supplies and U.S. food aid, must be carried on U.S.-flagged ships.
Top officials acknowledge that the shipments could support war options that General Tommy R. Franks, the chief of the military's Central Command, has recently presented to US President Bush.
As of now, equipment for two reinforced Army armored brigades is on the ground in the region, and the 9,000 troops to use it could be airlifted and ready for action in 96 hours. The armaments are stored in 37 warehouses in Kuwait and Qatar. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
