Dragon's Fury - Dragon's Breath Part 26

At the eight attachment points along the under side of each B1-B Lancer bomber (commonly called "Bones"), a total of fourteen ALCM's (Air Launched Cruise Missiles) began their pre-programmed release from each aircraft. These were followed by six ALCM's from each aircraft's rotary launcher in the internal bomb bay, making a total of twenty ALCMs that were launched from each aircraft.

High above Thruster flight, two flights of F-22 fighters patrolled, but they were not interfered with. The large diversion attack along the front lines to the north and east near the hotly contested city of Keyseri was attracting the attention of most of the GIR's air a.s.sets. One large contingent of aircraft that the GIR did not have involved in the fighting along the front lines was the large number of attack aircraft, fighter aircraft and even two flights of TU-22M Bombers that had landed within the last two hours at Incirlik airbase near Adana. These aircraft, almost two hundred of them, were now being refueled and rearmed for use by the GIR commanders in this theater.

Those very GIR a.s.sets were the focus of Thruster flight and USS Michigan. Having been notified of the landing of those GIR aircraft at Incirlik by satellite observation, the orders had gone out to the USS Michigan and B1-B's at Izmir. Within the next few minutes, the results would be apparent.

February 6, 2006, 04:02 local time GIR Incirlik Air Base Near Adana, Turkey The aircraft were crowding every portion of open s.p.a.ce on the service ap.r.o.n, along the taxiways, the newly constructed revetments and the few hangars that had been reconstructed since GIR forces had taken the airfield. They were a mixture of SU-25 "Frogfoot" attack aircraft, MIG-27 "Flogger" attack aircraft, SU-24 "Fencer" attack aircraft, SU-22 "Fitter" fighter aircraft, SU-27 "Flanker" fighter aircraft and the two flights of TU-22M "Backfire" bombers. These one 180 aircraft had arrived over the last few hours. Their presence here, when added to the two dozen fighter and attack aircraft already present at the base, represented the GIR's "front line" aircraft commitment to the southern sector of their Turkey operation.

A flight of four SU-27 fighters was up providing combat air patrol (CAP) for the base at all times, controlled by a GIR Ilyus.h.i.+n Il-76 "Mainstay" AEW aircraft that was loitering above the base.

Numerous ZSU-23, vehicles had been stationed around the airfield in revetments especially built for them. These rapid-fire 23 mm anti-aircraft weapons were very effective against low-flying aircraft. It was hoped that the SA-11 and SA-13 missile batteries stationed around the base would be effective against many of the American and Turkish aircraft and those of their allies, and force them to fly low and in range of the ZSU-234's.

The incoming U.S. cruise missiles were targeted for every revetment, radar emplacement, command and control facility and anti-aircraft emplacement that had been located by satellite. Each had been a.s.signed multiple missiles. The first missiles were targeted at the anti-air defenses themselves.

The missiles were flying very low, and were designed to be difficult to acquire on radar. But with the GIR Mainstay AEW aircraft aloft, its doppler radar spotted the first missiles in the stream from the USS Michigan when they were fifteen miles away. Traveling at 500 knots, this meant that the defenses had a little over one-and-a-half minutes to prepare.

"We have many inbound missile tracks to the east southeast, counting twenty tracks and growing; alt.i.tude 100200 meters. Have all missile batteries hold their fire, while we vector Wolf Flight to intercept. Have close in anti-air defenses prepared for cruise missile attack."

The controller on the Mainstay vectored the four SU-27 aircraft to an intercept course. Wolf flight, with four SU-27's that had their own effective doppler radar, picked up the American SLCM's and engaged them.

"Engaging with radar guided missiles, and then cannons!"

Radar lock was difficult to obtain and the SU-27's found themselves having to engage, circle and re-engage. In the process, many missiles "leaked" through before Wolf Flight had expended its ordinance. In so doing though, twenty-two of the first 105 cruise missiles were destroyed.

The GIR had a system of revetments for it ZSU-23's all around the base where they rotated from one revetment to another. As the first missiles leaked past Wolf Flight's intercept, they were engaged by the ZSU-23's. Many of these first missiles were targeted on the ZSU-23 revetments themselves. With its excellent low-level radar, its wide engagement angles (elevation of -4 to +85 degrees; 360 degrees azimuth ) and its high rate of fire-800 to 1000 rounds per minute for each of its four barrels-the ZSU-23 was a very effective close-in AAW platform. The eight units on that eastern side of the base were able to knock down eighteen more SLCM's before succ.u.mbing to the multiple missiles targeted on each revetment.

At this point, forty missiles had been downed and another thirty-two expended on the ZSU-23 and missile defenses. This left thirty-three missiles from the initial stream launched by the USS Michigan still targeted on the airfield and its structures. Of these, another fourteen were downed by portable, shoulder fired SA-14 "Gremlin" missiles. With an all-aspect targeting capability similar to the US Stinger missile, the "Gremlin" was a potent tool in defending against low-level aircraft attacks of all types.

The twenty missiles that impacted the service ap.r.o.ns, revetments and hangars caused heavy damage to the aircraft being refueled and rearmed there. Many secondary explosions occurred as ordinance and fuel exploded with the aircraft. Many highly trained pilots and other personnel were killed.

Even as the last missiles from the USS Michigan were detected by the GIR AEW aircraft, controllers on that same aircraft picked up the second stream of eighty ALCM's coming from the BI-B flight. These eighty missiles were engaged by the SA-11 and SA-13 batteries as the SU-27 CAP had expended its munitions. Those batteries were far less effective against low-level cruise missile attacks and had themselves been subjected to losses from the first group of SLCM's from the USS Michigan. Although scores AAW missiles were fired at the incoming stream of ALCM's, only thirteen missiles were downed by the missile batteries.

Once over the base, the remaining sixty-six missiles were again engaged by SA-14 "Gremlins" fired by personnel on the base itself. Another nine ALCM's were destroyed as a result of this last defensive flurry. The net result were that another fifty-eight cruise missiles impacted all over the airfield among already burning aircraft, aircraft that personnel were desperately trying to move out of the way and the support facilities that the GIR had hastily repaired and built on the base. More aircraft were destroyed or damaged, more personnel were killed and injured and more facilities were wrecked or damaged.

When the all clear signal at Incirlik was given at 05:00 hours, over 120 aircraft on the ground were either destroyed or heavily damaged. In addition, several hundred personnel had been killed or injured and the airfield itself was closed. Because of its proximity to the sea and the exposure to quick SLCM attack, Incirlik would not open again as a major airfield, the GIR preferring smaller fields further inland where they would have more warning and where they could develop more layered defenses.

February 7, 2006, 14:00 local time Secure Conference Center, U.S. Emba.s.sy Reykjavik, Iceland The meetings were wrapping up. For the last two days, the princ.i.p.al western allies in the two-week old war in the Middle East had been in summit. The United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt were all represented. They had met the entire time in a secure conference center in the U.S. emba.s.sy under tight security. Top aides had accompanied each of the leaders. The best "war college" scenarios that each respective nation could produce had been a.n.a.lyzed.

Military operations were ongoing during the summit. Airlifts into Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE were proceeding. Pre-positioned materiel and equipment all around the region was activated and transported to logistic areas well in advance of the on coming GIR forces. These efforts were focused on building up adequate defenses, in an attempt to stem the tide of the GIR onslaught.

In the field, the allies were back on their heels and some difficult strategic decisions were necessary.

Kuwait had fallen, Saudi Arabia had been invaded and the GIR forces were advancing along the Persian Gulf Coast toward the UAE and inland towards the Saudi capital. Defensive lines kept s.h.i.+fting further south and west in hopes of slowing the GIR advance.

Despite a highly successful tactical attack on Incirlik, Turkey was in desperate circ.u.mstances as the GIR armies had literally divided the country and were pressing their advantage. A significant GIR buildup in the center of the line gave every indication of producing a break through soon, which would mean the defensive lines in Turkey would also s.h.i.+ft to the west.

Additionally, two large GIR armies were moving towards the Egyptian border from Libya and the Sudan. Deploying sufficient allied strength in front of them was going to be difficult at best, particularly given the pressures and requirements for allied deployments to protect the Arabian oil fields and Turkey.

In light of all of this, the leaders had discussed overall strategy and come to some initial, path setting decisions. President Weisskopf was summarizing as the meetings wound up.

"We have agreed that the United States and its forces would provide over-all strategic control and that the theater commanders will be American, supported by allied commanders in their various roles and in specific operational areas. I understand that this will produce some political difficulties, but in light of the desperate and monumental task before us, and in light of the vast majority of equipment and materiel coming out of America in each operational area, we will proceed as we have agreed.

"We have discussed a number of likely reactions to and consequences of the current conflict and we have agreed that escalation is likely, particularly in the Far East. As a result of this, we have agreed that the Middle East and the Mediterranean Theater will be our first order of focus. As with World War II, should war break out in the Far East, we will focus on securing and winning the war in the west first.

"While pursuing this primary objective, in so much as it is practicable, we will fight a holding action in the Far East Theater until we can turn the full weight of our production and capability to that part of the world. Each of us must take these decisions back to our military and civil command structures and implement them accordingly, coordinating through the command structures we have discussed here. I expect that summits like this will be held regularly, perhaps every four to six months."

As the President paused, the Prime Minister of Great Britain spoke.

"Mr. President, should the Far East Theater escalate into war with the CAS, we can expect j.a.pan, Korea, Australia and other European nations to become a part of this summit. In that event, there will be great pressure exerted on our priorities and strategic decisions. I want to ensure that we all understand our commitment here and the decisions we are making today."

President Weisskopf had already contemplated this exact issue.

"Mr. Prime Minister, I understand your point. I share concerns about the Far East, and particularly any partic.i.p.ation by the CAS as an ally of the GIR, but I cannot see that we have any choice in the matter right now.

"I will close my remarks with this: we are facing a challenge and a danger of unprecedented proportions.

Should the CAS and the GIR unite in conflict against the west, as we consider likely, in my estimation we will be facing a threat far greater than that of the combined n.a.z.i and Imperial j.a.panese capability of sixty-five years ago.

This should sober us, it should galvanize us and it should spur us on to the necessary decisions and actions as allies and on each of our home fronts. I believe this summit is a good start at that, but I believe we must not for an instant let our guard down or forget the nature of the threat we face. Thank you, and may G.o.d bless our united efforts."

As he returned to his seat, Norm Weisskopf again contemplated his remarks and the decisions they had made. The Far East escalation was a projection, the war in the Middle East was real and a desperate fight. World-wide oil production was at stake. Whole economies were going to be ruined.

Nonetheless, President Weisskopf still wondered about that over-riding strategic decision they had made regarding the Far East conflict, should it come. Really, at the current time, just as he had indicated to the Prime Minister, they had no choice. But putting that decision into motion in the deployments, in the production schedules that would result, in the build-up-it would be difficult if not impossible to change later.

Still, he just couldn't shake the feeling that the primary menace was that big red dragon that had yet to project its real intent onto these events. Norm felt an overpowering conviction in his soul regarding that dragon's fury. Should it be unleashed and not quickly contained, it would be more difficult to suppress and overpower than they could possibly imagine.

As the meeting ended, President Weisskopf began working with his staff on his national address slated for the next evening. He intended to review the basics of this meeting with the allied leaders and then "lay it out" for the American people, many of whom had not yet had the reality of the true nature of this conflict hit home for them. What the President did not yet appreciate himself was how remarkably accurate his convictions regarding the threat in the Far East would prove, or how much he would regret not pus.h.i.+ng harder to establish a strategy accordingly when he had the chance.

February 9, 2006, 10:02 U.S. Army Recruiting Station NW 53rdTerrace Miami, Florida Hernando Rodriguez waited patiently in line. It really wasn't too terribly long a line at all, in fact not nearly as long as he'd expected. After last night's speech to the nation by President Weisskopf, which Hernando would always remember as the most patriotic and inspiring speech of his life, he'd expected the recruiting center to be literally packed with people signing up. The speech had surely affected him that way and he naturally expected it to have affected others in the same way.

And to some degree it had. The recruiting station here at The Augusta Building on NW 53rdTerrace had been doing a fairly brisk business all morning. Never more than eight or ten people waiting, but there had also not been an open counter all morning as young men and women came in and joined the Army.

The recruiting officers had been noticing a gradual pick up in recruitment ever since the declaration of war in the Middle East three weeks ago. This was occurring here in Miami and at other major recruiting stations around the country. There had been a few very brisk days right after the declaration, but it had leveled off somewhat as people watched events unfold and as the buildup proceeded. But the continued rapid decline in the stock market and the anxiety over fuel costs and rumored fuel allocations were driving home to people that this was a "real" war, and one that would not be soon in ending.

Today's surge in activity was a.s.sociated directly with the President's speech last night. In that speech he directly and succinctly outlined the gravity of the situation facing America and its allies. Even with the reserve units he was calling up, there would not be enough men at arms to stop and then roll back the Greater Islamic Republic and its naked aggression in the Middle East. The President had made it clear that now was one of those times in history when America's cream must rise to the top. The President had shown by way of graphs, multi-media displays and heart-felt explanation that the situation was dire.

America could "expect worse news before better"-that in all probability our friendly oil supplies would be taken or destroyed in the conflict and that America was facing energy shortages in the near future.

Then the President had outlined the emergency provisions he was directing all federal agencies to adopt.

Many of these agencies interfaced with the public and many of them regulated activities that the public was involved with, like the transportation department's involvement with gas pricing and distribution, and the defense department's interface with the defense industry. It was clear that millions of Americans would be impacted. The President then asked for the governors and legislators from each of the fifty states to adopt similar measure to conserve strategic resources and to more fully organize the public sector for what lay ahead. The President had ended by announcing a call up of 500,000 more reservists, an appeal for more enlistment and finally an inspired statement of confidence in the nation, its strength, depth and basic goodness. Hernando had "felt" those words and with that feeling came the clear knowledge of what he must do.

Early this morning he had called into the maintenance department at Florida State University where he worked. He had told his boss Stan that he would not be in today-that in fact he would not be coming back at all. When questioned, he had simply told Stan that he was joining the Army.

Stan had thought him crazy.

"What? Come on Hernando, you have to be kidding me, right?"

When Hernando made it clear he was not joking, Stan continued.

"Look man, there's no draft. They have an 'all volunteer Army" for this, you don't have to do it. We'll end up kicking this Sayeed guy the same way we did bin Laden."

The reply had been immediate, "I don't think so Stan. Didn't you hear what the President was saying last night?"

But Stan would not listen, or consider. He just knew he was losing a very good worker, and someone he considered his friend.

"What about your future, Hernando? You are in a position here to get your education paid for and you have a very good job that will provide for the future you keep taking about with Maria."

All Hernando could think to say was, "I am doing it for our future Stan, Maria's, our kids...that's what this is all about. Look, I'm sorry you don't agree, and I am sorry this is so abrupt. G.o.d bless you man, you've been a good boss. Pray for me. I gotta go."

How could Hernando explain it to someone like Stan. Stan had never experienced, or heard first hand about what life was like without the basic liberties and freedoms he and so many other Americas took for granted. Despite the unbelievable death toll America had sustained as a result of the terror attack in 2001, once the terrorists and the governments supporting them had been defeated, many Americans felt that chapter in history had been put behind them. Once again now, only a few years later, the apathy and the att.i.tude of ent.i.tlement was setting in.

After talking to Stan, the call to his mom and dad had been a little harder to initiate, but much more gratifying in its reaction. They were concerned, but they wereproud of him.

"G.o.d bless you son, you are a true American," his father had simply said. But with those simple words, his heart had soared.

"G.o.dwill bless you Hernando. We have raised you well and will pray for you every night. Have you told Maria?

Don't worry, we will help take care of her while you are gone. My heart fears for your safety, even as is bursts with pride over your goodness and commitment"

Hernando had told Maria. They had been at his place watching TV when the speech had been given last night. He had immediately shared with her what his convictions were. They had done the only thing two devout Catholics, who were intended for one another in their hearts could do. They had sought out their Priest after the speech, explained their circ.u.mstance and then been wed late last night in a simple ceremony with just themselves and the Priest present. They had then spent last evening together, their first ever, and last for a long time.

"Mom, Dad, Maria is now your daughter in-law. Please forgive me, but we were married last night by Father Chapman. Maria has let her folks know and she will be living in my apartment."

"Mother of G.o.d! Why...this is...this is...oh Hernando, this iswonderful news. We will treat her as our own.

She will need to save her money! We will work with her parents and ensure that she is watched over and taken good care of; you need not worry over it."

Hernando loved his parents. They were good, solid people. They worked hard. They had an abiding faith and they practiced it devoutly and freely. He had every confidence that between Maria's parents (who were similar in all ways to his own) and his own parents, that Maria would be well watched over until he returned. Besides, Hernando knew that Maria was his equal in faith, commitment, drive and energy and would be watching out for herself.

Beyond this, as first generation Cuban Americans, people who had escaped relatively recently from the continuing h.e.l.l hole that Cuba was, Hernando's parents only wished that the fight would be carried to what they called the "old scoundrel" in Havana.

Well, Hernando didn't know about that, he had been too young when his parents had escaped by boat, really just a small child of six years; he justknew that he had to do this. At twenty-two years of age, Hernando knew he had to stand up now and fight for liberty so that he and his Maria could enjoy it and pa.s.s it on to their children after them.

February 12, 2006, 14:30 FTA Trucking, U.S. Headquarters Dallas, TX Miguel Santos leaned back in his leather chair. As he waited for his boss and close friend, he gazed out of the window of his office. It was a corner suite on the fourteenth floor of a fifteen-story office building at the intersection of Central Expressway and the LBJ on the north side of Dallas.

"What a view," he thought to himself as he looked to the south and saw the majestic skyline of downtown Dallas. The Americans certainly did love their material wealth, their glamour. It was written not only all over many of their faces, it was etched into their very skylines. Yes, Miguel admitted it was entrancing, and it was almost intoxicating. Look at how many other entire nations sought to emulate them.

It was at such times that Miguel had only to think back on his childhood, the poverty and want he had experienced in Cuba, to break the spell in which it often held him. All that misery at the hands of these Americans who were living in such opulence, who had cut his nation from the trade and aid that could have benefited so many!

He had seen it as a youth and a young adult in Mexico, the place he called home now. The same poverty, the same hunger, while just across an imaginary line so many enjoyed so much.

Well, Miguel had risen above it himself, and he was thankful to be a part of something that he felt certain was going to help uncounted others too. In fact, it never ceased to amaze him that he, a former poultry truck driver, once living in Chihuahua, could have risen to such a position. Here he was, senior VP of U.S. Operations. He had Hector to thank for it all. Hector who had taken a liking to him early on, who appreciated not only Miguel's willingness to work very hard, but who also recognized the organizational and management potential in Miguel. Hector had nurtured those talents and both men had prospered greatly, now both owning substantial Haciendas back in central Mexico where their wives and children were safe from the darker and more dangerous aspects of their businesses, and away from the alluring material influence of America.

They had profited enormously through the opportunities afforded by America's openness, particularly through the expansion of their international trucking business resulting from provisions of the NAFTA agreement. They profited even more by dealing very carefully in the illicit trades that were so desired by many Americans, mixing in a healthy dose of trafficking in the items they required for their future political aspirations; weapons and the people who knew how to use them.

As he mused on this, his secretary rang to let him know his guest had arrived and was on his way in.

"Hector, my dear friend, how good to see you!"

The two men met half way across the floor and hugged one another while slapping one another's backs.

"Miguel, my friend, as always, it is my pleasure to visit with you as well. I can't tell you how pleased I am with your success, and my certainty that the performance of your operations will end up exceeding our goals and projections. Let's get right to the review and the plans for the future."

All of this was genuine, but it was also couched in key words. Miguel's operations were indeed out pacing the expectations set for them, but the review they would be conducting today had nothing to do with trucking. The two men were so adept at discussing one thing while meaning another, that they had even built entire presentations around the art. Pictures, charts and verbiage appearing to mean one thing, while conveying something entirely different.

Miguel moved to his desk and activated the automatic curtains for his office windows. The multi-media presentation required that the sunlight be blocked, but the curtains coming down blocked much more than sunlight. Even though the room was "scrubbed" daily for listening devices, by pressing another b.u.t.ton, Miguel activated some soft background music, which was especially digitally encoded and projected more than simply audible melodies. The final element of their security was then activated, a projector that created an ionic s.h.i.+eld which helped foil any electronic eavesdropping not effected by the other security measures.

After implementing all of this, Miguel joined Hector at the small conference table and keyed the remote audio-video equipment. Hector's digitally encoded RWDVD was placed in the machinery and the presentation began.

The presentation centered on the various trucking "corridors" on which FTA Trucking concentrated to transport goods back and forth from Mexico as well as other central and south American countries into the United States. Originally they had focused on the "I-35" north-south corridor, which ran from southern Texas up into Minnesota. They had been so successful along that line, with their ability to haul freight at reduced rates using their equipment and personnel from Mexico that they had soon expanded.

By using US Highway 287 and the I-40 corridor, and by using the I-20 and I-10 corridors, they had tapped next into the I-25 corridor running from El Paso all the way up into Montana. Finally, they had expanded further west along the I-10 corridor and were now mounting very profitable operations from southern California up the I-15 corridor into Utah and Idaho and up the I-5 corridor into northern California, Oregon and Was.h.i.+ngton.

As they discussed each of these corridors, operations and their profitability, what would not be apparent to anyone overhearing the presentation, was that the two were reviewing in detail the status of six other "projects" a.s.sociated with each corridor. Projects related to the planning and execution of the mission given to Hector Ortiz by his friend, the aging head of state.

"So, Hector, it appears we are in fact ahead of schedule in all six corridors. What is the company's current target date for reaching the final profitability figures in each?"

Without the slightest pause or hesitation, Hector answered both questions that had been posed by the single interrogatory.

"We must reach these figures by early March. The exact timing is something we can float a couple of weeks, but no sooner than March 5th and probably no later than the 20th. As we get closer to our year end financial reviews back at the corporate offices in Mexico City, I will communicate a more exact date to you.

"As you know, I intend to personally come and meet with the employees in the three western corridors to congratulate them on a job well done, while you personally handle the appreciation here in Texas and in Colorado."

Miguel was pleased that Hector was following through with his commitment to get in the field and personally coordinate three of these "projects."

"Yes, my friend, I know. I am confident that our employees there will give you every reason to congratulate them. They are looking forward to your time with them. It means a lot to them Hector, and it is one of the things about FTA that our employees like the most, the willingness of upper management to be involved right there in the trenches with them."

February 17, 2006, 19:30 local time Presidential Office Suite Tehran, GIR "Continue with the briefing General."

Hasan Sayeed waited anxiously for the details of what he already knew generally. GIR forces were advancing on all fronts. It was true that the advance was not as quick as he would like, and it was true that their losses were extensive. Despite this he respected and followed both General Jabal Talabari's and his foreign minister's, and trusted ally, Ayatollah Sadiq s.h.i.+raziha's, advice to pace their advance so as to ensure that occupied areas were properly consolidated and capable of supporting logistics activities for his advancing forces.

Nonetheless, in the s.p.a.ce of just a few weeks, half of Turkey had fallen and Kuwait had been conquered. Additionally, the rich oil fields along the Saudi Arabian coast had been taken as far south as Al Jubayl and significant progress had been made into interior portions of the Arabian Peninsula toward Medina. Now, another offensive was about to begin in the western deserts of Egypt and from the south moving north along the Nile.

Against this, the Turkish, Saudi, UAR and of course the American forces were making a determined defense with there as yet inferior numbers. More NATO troops, including British and German were coming into both Turkey and Egypt. But the numbers were not with them yet, and Hasan had no intention of allowing them to build up forces while he sat behind berms and in trenches as the fool Hussein had done over ten years earlier.

"Please begin with your estimates of the American buildup in eastern Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

What can we expect to be up against as our forces continue to advance?"

General Jabal Talabari was prepared to answer his Imam's questions. He had risen rapidly in the ranks and had become the Theater Commander by Hasan's personal order. The overall Defense Minister and Generals who were in Tehran were his nominal direct line commanders, but he enjoyed and respected that Hasan himself sat in on these briefings.

"My Imam, we are progressing nicely in both Saudi Arabia and in Turkey. We have broken through the initial defensive lines, but have also suffered significant attrition in moving up to their second lines of defense.

"We fought our first pitched armored battle in the coastal deserts just north of Abu Hadriyah two days ago. In that battle over fifty-five American Abrams tanks were destroyed while we lost over one hundred and sixty of our own. The Americans had set up a defensive position along the coast, extending out into the desert towards the Ad Dah Na. Their defense was in-depth with significant air cover. By making a feint in force towards Riyadh, we were able to draw enough of their strength away to commit our reserve right along the coast and punch through all the way to Al Jubayl and the oilfields there. The Americans were quick to recover and we suffered significant losses, but we achieved our objectives.

"It will be of interest to you, and should be pa.s.sed on to our allies that we have developed a tactic with our T-80's and T-90's where we can defeat the M1A1 Abrams. It requires a two-to-one superiority and it requires enough air cover to keep the A-10's and Apaches off of our columns. by working two of our T-80's as a team focusing on a single M1A1, we are finding that in 70% of the engagements at least one of our T-80's moves on, leaving a smoking M1A1 hulk in the desert.

"In addition, we have devised another tactic regarding the very capable U.S. MLRS system. These tracked Multiple Launch Rocket Systems are deadly against ma.s.sed armor of any type, or ma.s.sed infantry. Our armor and infantry face so many lethal threats, the Apache helicopters, the A-10 aircraft and the MLRS, before we are even able to engage the American armor directly. MLRS systems have punished us terribly during the entire campaign in Saudi to date.