European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 5, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1est available copy satellites keep watch on the desert eyes and ears based in space  inn exports Sny Tho United St Cilos has spy satellites so sensitive that they can Monitor Battlefield communications and see1 underground tunnels. I s a Gro synchronous orbit 2.rtoo Miles above e Iruh the ear i a in i if Sale Lues Are in geosynchronous orbits staying Over the same Point at All times they 1une in to signals from radar and ram. Including Mii Lury and diplomatic communications. Nii it Niters search for key military phrases. X Glenn  Quot Ankel Washington Ost Polar orbit a Lew Hundred Miles above Earth the eyes pm 11 photo Tak m j a bits can son s . 1 when Light and Oie 0 add a air my. He ban Polar .1 ,."vmiopo Foj in null 1 139 q make sense of iraqi president Saddam Hussein s assertions that Kuwait is really part of Iraq it helps to go Back nearly 70 years to a meeting in a tent in the arabian desert where a British High commissioner Drew what became lie Kuwait Iraq Border. The meeting had gone on for five grueling Days with no Compromise in sight. So one night in late november 1922, Britain a High commissioner in Baghdad sir Percy Cox summoned to his tent sheikh Ibn Saud soon to become ruler of saudi Arabia to explain the facts of life. Quot it was astonishing to see him being reprimanded like a naughty Schoolboy by his majesty s High commissioner and being told sharply that he sir Percy Cox would himself decide on the Type and general line of the Frontier Quot recalled it. Harold Dickson the British military attache in the Region in his memoirs. Quot this ended the impasse. Ibn Saud almost broke Down and pathetically remarked that sir Percy was his father and Mother who made him and raised him from nothing to the position he held and that he would surrender half his kingdom nay the whole if sir Percy  within two Days the Deal was done. The modern Borders of Iraq saudi Arabia and Kuwait were established by British Imperial Fiat at what became known As the Quair conference. Britain had won and everyone else thought they had lost. In time saudi Arabia and Kuwait swallowed their Pride and acceded. But for Iraq denied a viable outlet to the Gulf the sense of injustice festered Over three generations and was a major Factor in the eight year Iran Iraq War and the iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Saddam Hussein has offered Many sometimes contradictory rationales for the aug. 2 invasion. But the one that has resonated most deeply in the hearts and minds both of his own people and of the Arab world is his claim to redress the wrongs inflicted by British imperialism Quot the foreigner entered their lands and Western colonialism divided and established weak states ruled by families that offered him services that facilitated his Mission Quot he said in a speech on aug 10. He added that Quot the colonialists Quot in order to Quot ensure their Petroleum interests Quot had Quot set up those disfigured Petroleum states Quot Quot through this Quot he said Quot they kept the wealth away from the masses of this  Saddam has issued a decree declaring Kuwait to be iraqis 19th province renaming Kuwait City As Kadhi rna and naming a District of Northeast Kuwait after himself. Iraq s Legal claim to ail of Kuwait which is of dubious historical Validity was renounced by Saddam a own Arab baath socialist party during its first Brief spell in Power in 1963. But Iraq never acceded to a specific Border and some say it has valid historic and strategic reasons for claiming a Small portion of Northeast Kuwait. Some iraqi analysts say they expect that if Saddam feels compelled to withdraw from Kuwait he will still seek to hold onto the two strategic islands of Babiyan and Warba and the strip he now Calls Sadd Miyat Milaa. Beyond the technicalities Saddam has staked out what for Many arabs is powerful emotional ground. They look upon Kuwait and the other tiny Gulf kingdoms As the most blatant products of a european imperialism that ultimately remembered the Arab world creating the strife torn artificial states of what some consider dubious legitimacy that today dominate the Region. Britain s ties to the Gulf Date to the 18th Century when roots of Gulf conflict Kuwait a head of state Emir sheikh Jabir Al Sabah right and prime minister sheikh Saad Al Sabah. 1-ivt by William j. Broad new York times n the Middle Eastern War of nerves the United states has one great weapon the iraqis cannot match a Small Fleet of spy satellites that can Monitor iraqi troop movements night and Day see through camouflage and hear the most sensitive Battlefield communications. The iraqis have no such ability. Only the United states the soviet Union and China now possess spy satellites although several nations Are trying to acquire them. The american government has about five picture taking Craft that orbit hundreds of Miles above the Earth and beam Back photographic images All of them presumably spending some time peering Down on the crisis zone. The most powerful of these satellites is said to be Able to spot License plates on cars and trucks. In addition the government has a pair of listening satellites that eavesdrop on communications. In interviews reconnaissance experts including former government intelligence officials said these spy satellites could give the United states a decisive advantage if the standoff in the Middle East turns violent. Moreover they said that the Mere presence of the surveillance Craft was a powerful deterrent to aggression. The spy satellites have already played key roles in the crisis. President Bush s decision to deploy troops to saudi Arabia was reportedly sealed by intelligence reports of menacing buildups of iraqi military units and signs the iraqis were loading chemical weapons on aircraft. In too the saudi decision to allow the stationing m it o i to troops in the desert kingdom reportedly co. A r ii a intelligence was shared with them. Hiie Uch surveillance could tip the balance t i  winning advantage Quot said Peter a \ / a reconnaissance expert at George a b i uni i sity. A being Able to see your egg novo to hear his commanders Issue orders the British began setting up trading posts and strategic alliances along the coastal route to India. On of those places was Kuwait an impoverished and obscure seaport that had been under the control of the sprawling ottoman Empire but gradually had become the Feudal Domain of the nomadic Sabah clan. For generations the Sabah skilfully played off the British against the turks seeking the Protection of each in times of trouble. Then in 1899, a new sheikh Mubarak Sabah who took the throne after killing his two half Brothers agreed to make Kuwait a formal protectorate of Britain. The ottoman Empire never gave up its claim to Kuwait. After world War i Britain and France divided the spoils of the defunct ottoman Empire drawing new Borders and installing ruling families Loyal to the two european countries. One of the new states was Iraq an amalgam that included three former turkish provinces that were ethnically divided a kurdish dominated Mosul sunni Muslim Baghdad and shiite Muslim Basra. Even before the discovery of Oil Iraq was the wealthiest most politically sophisticated of the new Arab nations. What it lacked was Access to the sea something the British War office deliberately had chosen to deny it to limit its influence and keep it dependent on Britain. The Issue was virtually ignored at the 1922 Quair conference where the major dispute was Over saudi Arabia s Borders with Iraq and Kuwait. Iraq was represented by a Junior Cabinet minister Kuwait by a British political agent. But Iraq never dropped the matter. King Ghazi Ibn Faisal of Iraq proposed a Union with Kuwait in the 1930s, but was rejected by the Sabah and their British protectors. Two decades later after the iraqi monarchy was overthrown in a 1958 coup Baghdad tried again. When Kuwait declared its Independence in 1961 and British troops withdrew the iraqi military ruler Abdul Karem Qassem massed troops on the Kuwait Border in a dress rehearsal of the present conflict. Iraq pulled Back after British troops rushed to Kuwait later to be replaced by Arab league forces. Qassem blocked Kuwait sentry into the United nations and the Arab league for two years. But when he was overthrown in 1963, the new ruling Arab a Atn socialist party came to terms with Kuwait recognizing its Independence and generally acknowledging its frontiers although not a specific Border. The Border Issue was never settled in part because Kuwait was reluctant to risk its ownership of the South Ramaila Oil Field which extends across the Frontier tha existed until the aug. 2 invasion. L assets that could prove decisive. The desert conditions that Are proving extremely i a 0us for american troops on the ground Are Ideal for satellites experts say. T s an intelligence analysts dream environment a said in a e Burrows author of deep Black random u be a Book about space espionage. Quot there re no re p0 valleys no mountains no canyons. Its Nice and it and there a a Good Strong Sun and that gives you Beautiful shadows. Its perfect reconnaissance  crisis in the Gulf moreover experts say be iraqis most Likely have Way to know if they Are us watched by specific l satellites leaving hem unable to take the elaborate Steps needed to thwart space espionage. Doubt they know when they re being observed Quot Aid Ray Cline former Deputy director of the Cia and of a professor of International relations at Georgetown diversity. In contrast Cline said Quot our capability to observe exactly what s going on is great Quot adding Quot Iraq has an Myrmous military Force. But if we continue the relentless election of data we could wipe them out very quickly because we have much better  even Low Power civilian cameras in space can reveal Cirii Phi in Hin h i i 1 is n to graphs taken by spot imaging satellites been used for years by scientists to study sources can reveal objects on the ground 39 feet in diameter. I if a who has studied the military Quot aide or a id the satellites can see ships air a , some aircraft and the Long sea conflict by revealing the location and strength of some of the More obvious concentrations of american forces reconnaissance experts said. But the company that runs spot which is based in France has refused to sell such Middle Eastern imagery at least to news organizations. As a matter of policy the concern will say nothing about its other customers. A a we be decided As a private company not to get involved in the current situation Quot said Clark Nelson a spokesman for spot image corp. In Reston va., which distributes the French civil photographs. It is the first time a commercial concern has refused to sell space imagery because of a military crisis. The oldest and most prominent part of the american governments spy Craft Arsenal is made up of four photo taking satellites. Two older models known As Kh-11s, As Well As two newer ones with More powerful telescopes Are said to be in orbit. These Craft have Small engines that allow them to shift orbits to cover targets of interest. The Craft can see just about everything of military significance including individual ships tanks planes arms depots and logistics areas indicating the state of preparedness of a foe. In addition the american government in 1988 lofted the first of a new class of spy satellites that use radar to peer through Civ from space the of Cert u and darkness advancing the Art of spying neing radio Waves oif the ? a id Oss of weather or tin indeed he Sak ,1 of Iffla he ii could Rensy of during their eight pc. 1 also Aid the iraqis in 11 Iraq of current a Conj i .1 .  i re. F c2 a a  z u. H i id m of lit.?now in Quot i t Orno typos of camouflage and at revealing tunnels and lightly covered facilities especially in the arid regions of the Middle East. The drawback of radar imagery is that its Resolution or ability to differentiate details is not nearly As High As that of the visible Light cameras on older spy Craft. They can generally see the same types of military objects. All these different types of imaging satellites Fly in orbits a few Hundred Miles High that Loop about the Earth a poles. As the Earth turns the area beneath the orbit changes allowing a single satellite to pass Over most of the Earth a surface each Day. A different class of spy satellite orbits 22,300 Miles above the Equator moving at a Pace that keeps the Craft motionless relative to the ground. These Are electronic Quot ears Quot that scoop up electronic signals including those from radar and radio from military and diplomatic communications. At least two of these satellites Are usually on duty near the asian landmass capable of eavesdropping on conversations among Battlefield units and military commanders in the Middle East. Cline the former Cia official said the volume of signals intelligence was such that computers were used to search for key words and phrases that might prove significant. The computers could easily search through such transmissions in arabic he said the soviet Union is also clearly watching the activity in the Middle East with interest experts say. On aug. 3, a Day after iraqis takeover of Kuwait the soviets launched a photo reconnaissance satellite. Normally the soviets launch their spy Sale Hies with the regularity of clockwork and this one violated the Normal schedule. Inn 1 1 i Iii Lumua at -1 of 30 a you. To u a it a ban am. U spots i f h 1 i l d �?asisffi7rarr.t a. Ment by Richard . Sia Baltimore Sun he continuing massive deployment of . Troops and equipment to saudi arabian outposts More than 7,000 Miles away has exposed serious weaknesses in the Pentagon s Airlift and sea lift capabilities and set off bitter recriminations among the military services army officials Are grumbling privately about delays in dispatching transport ships to pick up weapons and combat troops Many of whom have been packed and ready to go for Days. Navy officials counter with complaints about last minute changes in shipping orders and army impatience. Meanwhile the Navy and the air Force Are struggling to Shore up an inadequate Stock of ships and planes to carry tons of heavy tanks artillery and supplies to a Region where the United states has been unable to maintain permanent bases. Quot we re Lucky we re not in a shooting War Quot a senior army officer said. In a scathing review of the mobilization rep. Helen d. Bentley r-md., told the destroyer escort sailors association convention in Baltimore that defense officials have had years to anticipate the need to move . Forces to the Middle East on Short notice. A there is absolutely no excuse for our need to have to go through a learning curve in this military deployment Quot said Bentley a member of the House merchant Marine committee and former head of the Federal maritime commission. Quot perhaps our military and budget planners planned to take a Page from the script of a Star trek episode and beam . Forces  she expressed outrage that the Pentagon Quot spends billions of dollars on Star wars rather than planning and massive deployment to the Gull has exposed weaknesses in . Mobilization capability Here 82nd airborne soldiers As Dawn Breaks Over saudi arabian desert. Anticipating the real War a a ground War that we Are now preparing to fight in the deserts of Kuwait and  at the Pentagon senior military officials agree that the strains on Airlift and sea lift capabilities Are not unexpected but say that the Effort generally has been successful. Quot you be got to consider that we be moved More Materiel in three weeks than in the first three months of the korean War Quot a ranking Navy officer said. But among army officials one lesson at least from operation desert shield is becoming Clear More weaponry and equipment will have to be stored in the Region to Speed future troop deployments especially if anticipated budget and personnel cuts reduce the size of . Forces stationed abroad. The use of 13 Quot maritime repositioned ships Quot at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and at Guam in the Pacific Ocean and afloat in the Atlantic have helped the marines amass a Well equipped fighting Force of More than 40,000 troops in saudi Arabia. Each Squadron of ships carries m-60 tanks weapons and enough supplies and equipment to support a 16,500-Man brigade for 30 Days a at a Cost of about $325 million a year the Navy said. For the army whose heaviest firepower is kept no closer than West Germany any rapid projection of military Power is wholly dependent on cooperation with the Navy and air Force. Quot i think the Public s got the idea we re fully deployed in saudi Arabia but you be got to realize Well be unloading equipment and putting troops on the ground throughout september Quot an army officer monitoring the deployment said. The first shipload of m1a1 tanks the army s main Battle tank and multiple launch rocket systems designed to take out enemy air defences began arriving Only aug. 28, about three weeks after president Bush ordered . Military forces to defend saudi Arabia from an Quot imminent Quot iraqi attack. Among the logistical problems said to afflict operation desert shield Are these Antares one of eight sl-7 fast sea lift ships heading to saudi Arabia has to be towed across the Atlantic by a Navy tug. Loaded with equipment for the 24th inf div Mecha unit with m1 tanks and Bradley armoured fighting vehicles the ship Quot has had a number of boiler problems Quot Pentagon spokesman Pete Williams said while under Tow the ship s engineering Crew has been trying to make repairs he said. By definition the fast sea lift ship should be Able to travel fully loaded at 33 knots taking roughly 12 Days to reach the Middle East. Regular freighters usually move at half that Speed taking at least twice As Long to cover the same distance. The first fast sea lift ship the Capella arrived in saudi Arabia five Days Early but the Antares is expected to arrive approximately two weeks late Navy officials said. Both the Curtiss and the Gulf banker a retired commercial ship that the Navy sea lift come added to its ready Reserve Force have had boiler problems requiring repairs the Navy said. The Curtiss which left port hueneme calif., on aug. 15, is carrying repair and maintenance gear for Marine corps aircraft. Quot there s no question that we Are overcoming obstacles As we undertake this deployment Quot Secretary of defense Dick Cheney said in a television interview last week. A i would not want to say that it s an absolutely flawless operation. It s not. Quot we have never done this kind of thing before in terms of moving this much this fast this far and Well learn a lot of lessons from that. I think the amazing thing is that its gone As Well As it has Quot he told Abc to s nighttime. Page 14 a a a the stars and stripes wednesday. Swiber 5,1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 15