Forces ready for mission: Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, OCT. 2. The Pentagon has dispatched the third aircraft carrier in the direction of the Arabian Sea even as the Bush administration is studying various options, political and military, in its war on terrorism. A fourth carrier is in the Mediterranean and could be moved at short notice, it is maintained.

The USS Kitty Hawk has left its base in Japan and the word is that many of its support vessels, especially the air components, will be joining it en route from other parts of Japan. The Pentagon is said to be beefing up its military might in the area against the backdrop of uncertain allies in West Asia and beyond.

``We're making progress'', the President, Mr. George W. Bush, remarked. Administration officials now point to the fact that two aircraft carriers - besides the Kitty Hawk - accompanying ships, some 30,000 troops, a Marine Amphibious force and about 350 aircraft have been deployed in and around Afghanistan, in the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the forward bases of the U.S.

There is at least one good reason for the Pentagon to move a third aircraft carrier. It virtually assures the U.S. of the ability to fight a major war in the area with or without the assistance of bordering nations of Afghanistan, if it really came to a crunch. The aircraft carriers can wage a full-fledged war including the stationing and airlifting of thousands of troops if need be.

Military analysts are saying that in addition to the aircraft available in the carriers, the U.S. has moved its heavy set B-52s and the B-1 bombers to the Indian Ocean base of Diego Garcia. The conventional heavy duty bombers like the B-52 will be called upon to mount massive air strikes against targets inside Afghanistan and substantially boost operations by the Special Forces.

The impression is that if the President gives the go- ahead, the operation inside Afghanistan is going to be short and severe. By all accounts, it will not be a long-drawn-out conventional warfare involving thousands of troops. Special forces of the U.S. and Britain are already deep inside Afghanistan probing the hideouts of Osama bin Laden and the Al Qaeda.

The air power will augment what is now being done on the ground, it is said. As it is, small groups of highly trained special forces are operating out of Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Aside from striking capability, small teams are also being readied for reconnaissance and rescue in the event of a major showdown.

``This is a different kind of war. It is hard to fight a guerilla war with conventional forces, but our military is ready'', Mr. Bush remarked at the Federal Emergency Management Agency here.

At different times, the President has sought to emphasise that the war on terrorism may not be witnessed on television screens; and that some of the successes will not even be publicised.

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Section  : International
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