Terrain

Check out this terrain map showing suitability for cross country movement. I’d sure rather advance down the Jordan-Iraq highway than slog up through the Tigris and Euphrates valley. Western Iraq is our kind of terrain. I also note that the terrain from Kuwait north, on the western side of the Euphrates, is also good for the most part. Can’t rule out an attack out of Kuwait that swings wide to the west to get to Baghdad. Of course, a road net by that route is more of a problem—hugs the Euphrates and some poor terrain and cities along that path. Coming from the west, there is a chokepoint through some poorer terrain between those lakes west of Baghdad, but the 101st could leap frog through there, seizing ground for the heavy armor rolling east.

I still want a Jordan springboard as the path to Baghdad.

Oh, our first Stryker Brigade won’t be ready until May 2003. It will be too late for anything but Iraqi occupation duty. Still, might a battalion task force be ready? Just for testing concepts?