Ready to Go

This article says we will be ready to go in mid-December with 75,000 troops. As I’ve said in the past, I’m not comfortable with numbers like this. What does it count? I’ve seen estimates that seem to count every support personnel from every branch which pumps the numbers up and low estimates that clearly only talked about combat units. If we are talking about just the combat divisions, 75,000 represents five large divisions (that includes a Marine division). That is sufficient. Plus throw in the British. Could we start the war with that counting on the supplies in theater already and then, after flying in the combat troops not yet in the Gulf, start the logistics train? Don’t know. I do know we did supply overkill the first time so I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve ratcheted down our supply requirements thus enabling us to start faster.

This is coming faster than most people think. The important thing is whether it is coming faster than Saddam thinks it will. He thinks he has until the 60-day Blix report. I think we are locked and loaded just after the December 8 deadline—mid December is a fine date, and then we pull the trigger two weeks after that. December 27, if I have to commit to a day. Not based on phases of the moon or anything like that. But the work week will be over by the time the bombs start falling and Americans will be home and away from downtown office buildings for two days should any wackos decide to strike then in solidarity with Iraq.

On to Baghdad.