Tags:
Journalism of Courage
US Forces have carried out the largest paratroops drop during a war in recent history. The last such drop was carried out by the Indian Army and Air Force in Bangladesh during the liberation war in 1971. The first wave of 1,000 paratroopers dropped close to Kalak in northern Iraq came as soon as the weather cleared. The aim is to open the northern front and a build up should now be expected around these initial forces which would establish a bridgehead.
The northern front had been deprived of any worthwhile force due to Turkey not agreeing to the use of its territory for the US ground forces. The only option for the US after Turkey’s decision was to either not open a northern front or to para drop forces.
Such drops are highly vulnerable to hostile action, especially during the critical stages of the actual drop and the assembly of forces. Iraq has no air power left which could interfere with the para drop operations. Still the operations was escorted by combat aircraft as a matter of abundant caution in case any surprise ground force opposition takes place.
In this case, secluded areas were selected where there was apparently no Iraqi regular or irregular army forces. Special Forces had been scouting around the northern Iraq for days trying to identify locations that would permit the highest chances of safety during the critical phases till sufficient forces in cohesive strength with weapons and equipment around which a northern column could be established.
The initial paradrop should be expected to be followed up by more paradrops and/or airborne troops being flown in possibly to a captured airfield in the region. This would be necessary if the northern column is to apply military pressure in any meaningful way. The problem of bringing in heavy weapons would still remain. The process of building up forces in the north, therefore, would take a few days.
Such a force would no doubt be able to exercise some control over northern Iraq. But how far could this be a rallying point for a Kurdish resistance force to take the northern Iraqi cities of Mosul and Kirkuk remains to be seen. If Saddam sees real risk of such an event, he may order the oil wells in the region set on fire to add to the pressures on US forces.
In terms of a direct military pressure on Baghdad’s defences, the American-Kurdish forces would have to be built up to much greater capabilities before it can make any significant impact. This should not be difficult over a period of time especially when the main southern Anglo-American force starts to lay a siege of Baghdad. The issue once again would be the time taken for the war to end.
Meanwhile, there is a tragedy unfolding in the south where Basra has been under siege without potable water since last Friday and under fire probably from British forces as well as Iraqi army. British plan to deal with Basra as a ‘‘military objective’’ is difficult to understand since occupation of Basra could hardly have any significant influence on the war.
(Air Commodore (retd) Jasjit Singh, editorial consultant to The Indian Express, will analyse the war daily. Readers can send their queries to him at jasjitsinghexpressindia.com)
