European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 27, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a a a the stars and stripes sunday january 27,1991 War in the Gulf allies determined to annihilate elite Force by the los angelas times Washington Bush administration officials have concluded that the outcome of the persian Gulf War a and the Long term stability of the Middle East a hinges on the destruction of the elite Republican guard units that remain under round the clock bombardment from Allied planes. Administration strategists believe that crushing the 150,000-member Republican guard will drive a stake through the heart of iraqi president Saddam Hussein a government and Lead to the collapse of the rest of iraqis million member army. Army it. Gen. Thomas w. Kelly director of operations for the joint staff in Washington said Friday that initial assessments indicated the Aerial assault on guard units was beginning to produce results. A we believe we Are having a significant Impact on them but we can to prove that from the Type of information that we have in front of us right now a he said. The guard entrenched and dispersed throughout Northern Kuwait and Southern Iraq is As critical to Iraq and As threatening to its neighbors As arc iraqis chemical biological and nuclear weapons programs officials said. It also represents the most formidable Force that . And Allied troops would face in a ground offensive a tiding urgency to the administrations efforts to eliminate it. Although Public statements of administration policy Are less explicit officials have acknowledged privately that the guards annihilation has become a primary War objective and would continue even if Saddam suddenly embraced a peaceful solution to the conflict. A a we re not interested in the orderly withdrawal of his intact army a said a senior administration official. If the Republican guard were left intact a either by an Early iraqi surrender or a failure to target the elite troops with sufficient Force a a it would pose a grave threat to the Security of the Region a the official said. The administration has said repeatedly that the goal of operation desert storm is still the eviction of iraqi troops from Kuwait and the restoration of Kuwait government. But top military officials ave acknowledged their special interest in the Republican guards Fate. A a that a the unit that he used to take Kuwait. Those Are the units that he used in his War with Iran for offensive Pur . Soldiers sit atop a Bradley fighting vehicle leading a Convoy North through the saudi desert to the front line destroying the Republican guard could even Lead to a collapse of the regime in Baghdad a rep. Stephen Solarz poses. They Are the heart of the regime a Secretary of defense Dick Cheney said. Cheney said the Republican guard was not Only Central to Saddam a military capability it also underpinned his political Power. The guard is by far the Best equipped most disciplined and fiercely Loyal unit of the iraqi armed forces. A if the Republican guard crumbles i done to think the ground forces in Kuwait would be willing to fight to the last Trench a said rep. Stephen Solarz d-n.y., who has been briefed by Pentagon officials on the wars Progress. A destroying the Republican guard could even Lead to a collapse of the regime in  administration officials concede that they remain far from their goal despite More than a week of crushing bombard men from Allied warplanes including the formidable b-52 bomber which can drop 30 tons of bombs on a single run. Army Gen. Colin l. Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said he did not know yet How much damage Allied air strikes have wrought on the guard. Intelligence analysts report that some units have suffered 40 percent damage while others appear untouched Powell said last week. Military officials have said the bombardment is problematic because the guard units which Are armed with soviet t-72 tanks Are dug into steel reinforced Concrete bunkers and spread out. Key ground units not ready reports say by the stars and stripes near the iraqi Border two of the army a mechanized ground units from Germany Are still weeks away from being ready even though they Are expected to play an important role in a land War against Iraq according to Pentagon Media Pool reports. By weeks end the 3rd army div whose Headquarters Are in Frankfurt Germany had Only about half of its troops and barely a third of its heavy Armor and tank killing helicopters ready according to reports received late Friday and Early saturday. Also 3rd brigade soldiers from Wurzburg a 3rd Ifft div who May be Given the Jab of Clearing iraqi defensive trenches did no to expect the last of its Bradley fighting vehicles to arrive from the ports until late january. One exasperated commander it. Col. Stephen Smith ordered his troops to be driven to their fighting positions where he walked them through mechanized combat drills. Adding to the Germany units shipping delays Are transportation and logistics problems caused by civilian truck Drivers and Dock workers fleeing the War zone. A a not having our vehicles has really put us behind a said it. Flip Vlieks platoon Leader in a 3rd inf div company still Short of Bradley. A we can train but it takes some  his platoon reviewed Trench Clearing tactics on a table of Sand where pen scrawled rocks represented iraqi tanks and sugar dappled Sand served to highlight the deepest enemy bunkers. Third army div officers did no to speculate on How Long it might take their unit to go on the offensive but they emphasized that senior . Commanders Are willing to wait weeks if necessary to get the troops and equipment fully prepared for a ground War. A i feel no pressure to do it tomorrow a said col. Bill Nash commander of the 3rd army dives. 1st brigade. Nash a Vietnam Veteran who won a purple heart and Silver Star said he is Happy to watch the intense Aerial bombardment of Iraq from a Safe distance. A a there a nothing wrong with a cakewalk for ground troops he said. But Washington could decide it can to wait until All of the divisions firepower arrives. Some officers and troops said they have been told that portions of the division that Are ready when the decision is made could Start pushing North and East to try to Cut off iraqi Supply lines into Kuwait. Those parts include some of the divisions biggest and most sophisticated artillery. La a the res no such thins As Reserve artillery a said Mai Chris of Connor a Lawton okla., native who is the operations officer for the 4th in 82nd Field arty which deployed from Hanau Germany. As he spoke a line of self propelled howitzers blasted away at Square Black and White targets Miles downrange while fresh Crews wearing Black gloves and ear protectors awaited their turns. Artillery is expected to play a major role in the Early Days of any ground War because . Commanders will attempt to Torce iraqi tanks out of their hiding places and into the open. 11 that happens Apache attack Heli copters a-10 jets and f-16 fighters can team up to Knock out the iraqi Armor. O Connor said iraqi forces May have difficulty supplying their More than 2,000 artillery pieces with parts and ammunition because the guns were manufactured in various countries and Many use different shells. Most or Iraq s artillery battalions use towed guns which Offei no Protection for the troops firing them. By contrast 3rd army div artillery units have self propelled gun mounted on armoured Chassis. . Commanders also Hope to reduce iraqi firepower by disabling fire control centers before the artilier duels heat up. A your guns can be widely separated Anc still communicate and work closely with each other a o Connor said. Meanwhile the entire 1st army div to which the 3ri inf div s 3rd brigade is attached is undergoing additional weapons training after the second accidental fir ing of a weapon in As Many nights. Details were sketchy but no one was injured. Commanders made it Clear they regarded the Inci dents As a breach of combat discipline. Losing a Soldier As a result of our failure to train Hin in something so Basic is one of the hardest things thai Many will have to live with a col. . Riley the Bri game commander said in a briefing to senior 3rd inf do officers. A closing a Soldier to Friendly fire is something that will cause you. More sleepless nights than losing a Soldier to enemy  information for this article came from Pentagon Media Pool reports