Lost Cause
It's a wrap!
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2001
- Posts
- 30,949
Rattling the saber?
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is scheduled to sail to the Straits of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf region beginning Christmas Eve, according to U.S. Navy sources.
The unit will transit to the region and be ready for any potential conflict with Iraq on the USS Austin, the USS Tortuga and the USS Nassau.
The Marines have been participating in amphibious ready group operations off the coast of Africa for the last three weeks, the sources told WorldNetDaily. The Marines number about 2,000 and are accompanied by Harriers.
Military officials said late yesterday that no final decision on whether to invade Iraq had been made. Nevertheless, large-scale mobilization orders are set to begin in January, which appear to support earlier reports that U.S. commanders prefer to battle Iraq during cooler months.
An earlier report said the U.S. may amass up to 300,000 troops before striking Iraq. Baghdad's ground forces are said to number around 375,000 men, with 70,000 of those Republican Guard troops.
WorldNetDaily reported Wednesday that a decision to strike Iraq has been postponed until at least the end of this month to give United Nations weapons inspectors a chance to make their report.
Despite Iraq's vehement denials that it has no weapons of mass destruction, the Pentagon is already well aware of numerous arms violations by Baghdad. The U.S. has intercepted communications from Iraqi officials discussing the hiding of weapons of mass destruction and their components, sources told WorldNetDaily.
Those weapons are being hidden in steel mills, parts factories and even in weapons and ammunition plants, sources said.
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is scheduled to sail to the Straits of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf region beginning Christmas Eve, according to U.S. Navy sources.
The unit will transit to the region and be ready for any potential conflict with Iraq on the USS Austin, the USS Tortuga and the USS Nassau.
The Marines have been participating in amphibious ready group operations off the coast of Africa for the last three weeks, the sources told WorldNetDaily. The Marines number about 2,000 and are accompanied by Harriers.
Military officials said late yesterday that no final decision on whether to invade Iraq had been made. Nevertheless, large-scale mobilization orders are set to begin in January, which appear to support earlier reports that U.S. commanders prefer to battle Iraq during cooler months.
An earlier report said the U.S. may amass up to 300,000 troops before striking Iraq. Baghdad's ground forces are said to number around 375,000 men, with 70,000 of those Republican Guard troops.
WorldNetDaily reported Wednesday that a decision to strike Iraq has been postponed until at least the end of this month to give United Nations weapons inspectors a chance to make their report.
Despite Iraq's vehement denials that it has no weapons of mass destruction, the Pentagon is already well aware of numerous arms violations by Baghdad. The U.S. has intercepted communications from Iraqi officials discussing the hiding of weapons of mass destruction and their components, sources told WorldNetDaily.
Those weapons are being hidden in steel mills, parts factories and even in weapons and ammunition plants, sources said.
