US hopes to sap Iraqi will with shock tactics, speed

It could all be very different from the 1991 Gulf War — apart from the result. Then a much larger US-led multinational coalition soften...

It could all be very different from the 1991 Gulf War — apart from the result. Then a much larger US-led multinational coalition softened up forces loyal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein with a five-week air war before ground forces ejected them from Kuwait.

This time, US and British ground forces are likely to waste little time in invading Iraq once Washington unleashes its arsenal of smart bombs and missiles on Saddam and his acolytes.

With US military planners banking on the shock of a blitzkrieg to bring early victory, military experts predict ground troops in the 2,80,000-strong US and British invasion force will set off on an early dash North.

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‘‘I think the air phase and the ground phase of the attack will start at virtually the same time — there won’t be any pause of weeks between the two,’’ Francois Heisbourg of the Paris-based Foundation for Strategic Research said.

Military experts say US military planners hope the explosive mix of precision-guided Tomahawk cruise missiles and smart bombs will simulate the psychological impact of a nuclear blast, isolating Saddam and stunning his Army into submission. Some say the greater precision and punch of Washington’s new arsenal, coupled with a more effective use of special forces, will bring the war to an end more quickly than the six-week 1991 Gulf War.

Though military spokesmen say they have been planning for all eventualities, experts do not underestimate the risks. ‘‘However, we don’t know what would happen if it comes to street battles and we also don’t know what cards Saddam could play,’’ he said.

‘‘He has his back to the wall and has nothing to lose. He could use chemical weapons. He could draw in Israel.’’