The Tools of War

BOEING
The F-15E is the latest U.S. warplane to carry the JDAMs

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Beyond those schemes, U.S. war planners are focused on attacking the delivery systems missiles, planes and drones that Iraq might use to deploy chemical and biological weapons. The U.S. Air Force remains profoundly embarrassed by its inability in the 1991 war to destroy a single Scud launcher, despite 2,400 missions aimed at just that. Better satellites, more deadly Apache helicopter gunships and improved and armed drones should enable the U.S. to do better should there be a next time.

Pentagon officials are betting that a new air war would have the same impact on Iraqi troops as it did last time. After 38 days of pummeling, they basically folded as U.S. ground troops moved in. In a new conflict, U.S. foot soldiers would probably enter Iraq more quickly. Ideally, the U.S. would send in land forces from three directions south from Turkey, east from Jordan and north from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, although Iraq's neighbors have been reluctant to serve as staging points. Pentagon officials are optimistic that the Iraqi military, after more than a decade of sanctions, is a brittle force ready to snap under pressure. U.S. troops would face the most potent threat from the Republican Guard divisions and the Special Republican Guard, especially if they retreated to lairs inside Baghdad and challenged the invaders to a duel to the death.

While President Bush is considering the war options that are officially on his desk, U.S. ground forces are lining up for battle. Some 35,000 U.S. troops are already in the region. General Franks and 600 of his battle staff will soon move to a forward headquarters in Qatar as part of an exercise. Many of them are likely to remain in the area to prepare for an invasion. If it comes, they are hoping that the superior technology of the U.S. military will make their job less daunting. But they won't count on it. Central Command recently made an "urgent request" to its suppliers. It was for new nontoxic foam that removes chemical and biological agents from military gear without corroding it as the current decontaminant does.