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The general plan
for attacking Iraq involves psychological warfare, which has
been going on for most of 2002, to demoralize the military
and civilian leadership and convince most to switch sides
before the fighting begins. Iraqi exiles have been organized
to form a post invasion government, and the younger ones trained
to work directly with coalition troops as translators, scouts
and negotiators.
The military invasion would begin with thousands
of smart bombs being dropped on anti-aircraft, air force and
headquarters targets. GPS guided JDAM and JSOW smart bombs
allow this to be done in any weather and, perhaps equally
important, simultaneously. All those bombs hitting in a short
period of time (minutes, in some cases) enhances the psychological
effect. Simultaneous strikes also increase enemy casualties,
as there is less warning to take cover. US heavy bombers (B-1,
B-2 and B-52) can carry up to 24 one ton bombs each.
While this is still going on, coalition ground
forces would start entering southern, northern and western
Iraq. Some would come in via helicopter, especially against
isolated airfields and bases in western Iraq. Some paratroopers
would be dropped on more distant targets. British and American
marines and armor units could quickly advance on southern
Iraq's major city, Basra. The Turks have been told not to
enter northern Iraq, as the Kurds there have said they would
fight any Turks coming in. The Kurdish militias in the north
have placed themselves under American command. There are US
Special Forces in northern Iraq to work with the Kurds, Turkomen
and other minorities up there.
Western Iraq is mostly desert, where coalition
Special Forces and commandos have apparently been operating
since late February.
The advance towards Baghdad would be up the
Tigris-Euphrates valley, which is where most Iraqis live.
Deals, some already in the works since 2002, to get Iraqi
tribal, political and military leaders and groups to switch
sides would be brought to a conclusion as coalition tanks
moved to, and into, Baghdad. If there is any significant resistance
in Baghdad, special street fighting equipment has been brought
into Kuwait and thousands of American troops have undergone
intensive city fighting training.
The US Special Forces will play a crucial role
in the campaign, since they have the skills, and in some cases,
contacts, to work with the various armed factions in Iraq.
There are armed and militant Shia groups that could get feisty.
While the Kurdish militias are well organized, there are other
groups with a militia tradition (the Assyrians and Turkomen)
are not. The Special Forces will be doing most of the talking
with these groups in order to keep the peace.
Submitted by, Alyssa
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