Welcome to the Hotel California
Shaick Mohammed, the al Queda operations officer is probably at the CIA's Hotel California where as the song goes, you can check in, but you can never leave. The most likely location for this exclusive hotel is probably Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It is probably not much fun to be Mohammed these days. He will have plenty of opportunity for conversation with management.
Alternatives to Turkey
The commanding general of US ground forces for Iraq had indicated there are several alternatives to moving troops through Turkey, including air lifting part of the 4th Army into position. With special forces already in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq, it probably would not be that difficult to secure an air base for unloading troops and equipment. While the 4th has been initially assigned the northern attack, it might be easier to move several Marine Expeditionary forces into place similar to the operation that took over the airport at Kandahar in Afghanistan. The general did not mention this alternative, but these units are prepackaged for such operations. While not as heavily equiped as typical armored units that have M-1 tanks, they are "heavier" than typical Army airborne units. With adquate air support they should easily handle Iraqi units, who learned at Khfagi in '91 that it is suicidal to move on the attack toward US forces.
Shaick Mohammed, the al Queda operations officer is probably at the CIA's Hotel California where as the song goes, you can check in, but you can never leave. The most likely location for this exclusive hotel is probably Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It is probably not much fun to be Mohammed these days. He will have plenty of opportunity for conversation with management.
Alternatives to Turkey
The commanding general of US ground forces for Iraq had indicated there are several alternatives to moving troops through Turkey, including air lifting part of the 4th Army into position. With special forces already in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq, it probably would not be that difficult to secure an air base for unloading troops and equipment. While the 4th has been initially assigned the northern attack, it might be easier to move several Marine Expeditionary forces into place similar to the operation that took over the airport at Kandahar in Afghanistan. The general did not mention this alternative, but these units are prepackaged for such operations. While not as heavily equiped as typical armored units that have M-1 tanks, they are "heavier" than typical Army airborne units. With adquate air support they should easily handle Iraqi units, who learned at Khfagi in '91 that it is suicidal to move on the attack toward US forces.
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