The Hindu : Troops for Iraq: Army offers options

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 11, 2003

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Troops for Iraq: Army offers options

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 10. The Army has given the security establishment two options if troops are sent to Iraq. It has also identified the commanding officers in case one of the force projections is accepted and implemented.

Though the armed forces have informed the Government that serving under the Security Council mandate would be a more comfortable option, they are prepared to embark for Iraq without this umbrella in case the Government so decreed.

The first proposal envisages a division strength reinforced by bigger equipment such as tanks and artillery guns. This would total about 17,000 troops and is considered appropriate for a situation where Indian troops would take charge of an entire sector such as northern Iraq. Inclusion of elements of the other two services including four naval boats and the IAF's transport planes and helicopters, have also been projected.

The Government and the armed forces are said to favour this alternative. The armoured component would give it more options of firepower in case the situation becomes adverse. Complete charge of a sector would also help it to solve some of the questions relating to command and control. The second option is of a ``brigade plus'' strength. This would comprise three infantry battalions of 3,000 men and an engineering unit besides other necessary appendages such as a transport unit and medical personnel. In this case the total strength would be slightly more than one-third of the first proposal.

However, Indian troops would have to operate as part of a multinational force as is the case in central Iraq. Headquartered in Hilla town and headed by Polish troops, this force also comprises Spanish and Ukrainian soldiers and has important towns such as Najaf and Karbala under its area of operations. It also has to liaison extensively with the Anglo-American combine. So far, a medical team has toured Iraq as a sort of advance party and another team would be sent for the purpose about a week before the full body departs. Inputs have already been received from the Army officers who had served as U.N. observers in several important towns just before the hostilities broke out.

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