- 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized): 3 brigades.
- 1st Cavalry Division (a heavy division): 3 brigades.
- 1st Armored Division: 2 brigades.
- 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized): 2 brigades.
- 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile): 3 brigades.
- 10th Mountain Division (Light): 2 brigades.
- 173rd Airborne Brigade.
- I Marine Expeditionary Force: 3 'brigades.'
- 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade
- 16th Air Assault Brigade (British)
- 3rd Commando Brigade (British)
- Elements of 1st Armoured Division (British): 1 brigade.
That's a total of 23 brigades or nearly eight divisions. U.S. Rangers and special forces from our allies to aid our special forces will go in too. Separate Marine Expeditionary Units (battalions) have been mentioned too although I do not know if they are separate from the division and brigade mentioned.
To me, this is overkill. I'm all in favor of smashing our enemy, but we can do so with less than this level of force. Especially when we have to look over our shoulder at North Korea I believe this list is designed to allow us to go in earlier than observers think. We will have enough long before all these units can be deployed and so will gain tactical surprise.
This also doesn't mention Air Force or Navy units. I don't focus on them not because I don't think that they are important but because they will be supreme at sea and in the air. They will be in the theater in sufficient numbers to crush opposition and support the war without any trouble.
My evolving scenario, based on what I have read about deployments and what I would do, would essentially have the air and ground offensive start simultaneously. Conventional ground units might even precede the air offensive to get a jump on the offensive:
- Marine Expeditionary Force, 3rd Commando Brigade, and British 1st Armoured Division units seize Basra region and then press north to support the crossing of the Euphrates River.
- A heavy brigade with lots of artillery and attack helicopters in support under V Corps headquarters simulate the main effort driving north out of Kuwait heading for the Euphrates River, advancing on the left of the drive on Basra.
- 10th Mountain and 16th Air Assault Brigade advance out of Turkey into the Kurdish areas, perhaps with the aim of destroying al Qaeda-affiliated groups in the area.
- One or two Turkish corps advance into the Mosul area, probably not really seeking to fight but to keep refugees out of Turkey and to distract the Iraqis.
- The main effort under XVIII Airborne Corps aims to occupy western Iraq and approach Baghdad from the west. This would have six heavy brigades, the 101st Airborne Division, and a Marine Brigade. Perhaps a heavy Army brigade and a Marine Brigade advance out of Jordan. The airborne brigade and Rangers grab airfields to airlift the 101st directly into Iraq. Or perhaps it will base out of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and make a big jump (with a refueling stop) all the way to the Baghdad region. Five heavy brigades link up with the Jordan thrust by advancing north out of Saudi Arabia and northwest out of Kuwait. It is possible that special forces will have staked out the routes so that the heavy armor can basically do a two-day road march to the western Baghdad suburbs. It could take a week if we advance in combat formation.
Now the only question is how fast we can airlift what we need into the theater or adjoining areas. I really hope we are going before the Blix report is made. What more do we reasonably need to do to satisfy our so-called allies? I say we've done enough and it is about time to take care of business.
On to Baghdad.
