European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 27, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday february 27, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 7,War in the Gulf is it amp a a a pow a a a Nancv s Vas a a a a. A n Quot s a a. We a a a a we a. A a . Soldier inspects a buried enemy tank with Only its camouflaged gun barrel visible after iraqi troops surrendered to Allied ground forces in Southeast  thwarted iraqi plan experts say Michael r. Gordon new York times Washington two Days of american and Allied ground assaults have thwarted iraqis Basic military strategy for holding onto Kuwait military experts say. A to contest the attacks the iraqis employed a three tier defense drawing on their experience during the eight year War with Iran. The first tier consisted of fortified defences along the saudi Border which president Saddam Hussein hoped would delay the attacking Allied forces so that they could be struck with huge scale artillery barrages including the firing of chemical artillery shells. Whatever Allied Force penetrated the iraqi defensive lines would then run into the second layer mechanized forces held in Reserve in Kuwait. The third layer consisted of Republican guard troops arranged in a Crescent pattern in Southern Iraq on the Edge of a Kuwait _ s7�?Twith this strategy Saddam and his top military advisers seemed to calculate that by the time that the advancing american and Allied troops reached Republican guard positions they would be so weakened by fighting and so near the end of their Supply lines that they could be successfully attacked by the guards. It is often said that generals prepare to fight the last War and that is what Iraq s military leadership appears to have done in this Case v a. During the iraqi Iraq War iraqi forces constructed elaborate fortifications used chemical weapons and held the Republican guard in Reserve to counterattack iranian troops who penetrated the barriers. A it is often said that generals prepare to fight the last War and that is what Iraq s military leadership appears to have done in this Case. The current iraqi military leadership includes veterans of the War of attrition with Iran such iraqis detente minister Gen. Saadi Juburi. Juburi successfully commanded three different army groups during the War against the iranians. He is an expert in digging in and building fortifications. The iraqi chief of staff Gen. Hussein Rashid commanded the Republican guard through most of the Battles in Southern Iraq in 1986 and 1987. But american and Allied forces have into rant strengths that the iranians lacked punishing air Power and skilled combat engineers. And they have the ability to conduct major Hanking actions into thinly defended iraqi areas after penetrating front line defences. In mounting the ground attack the United states and its allies have thwarted the iraqi  in two ways. A they have quickly punched through the iraqi defense moving swiftly into the Interior of Kuwait and frustrating iraqi plans  the Allied troops in Border fighting. This has negated any Allied vulnerability to iraqi artillery. Intensive Allied artillery barrages and air attacks had weakened the iraqis front line defences. The air Force diverted fill and f-151 jets to Pound non order. Iraqi artillery near the kuwaiti Bori demolition Crews and combat engineers meanwhile Cut paths through the Sand berms and fortifications to pave the Way for Quick thrusts by Allied troops. The attacks on iraqi artillery which can fire chemical Gas shells and the Swift Pace of the Allied assaults thwarted the ability to use Poison Gas. Allied forces also dropped leaflets warning the demoralized front line troops that they would be held responsible for chemical weapons attacks. A 7 iraqi mechanized units  from the front lines were blocked by air attacks from moving Forward to meet advancing Allied columns. An intelligence analysis Cir. Curating at the Pentagon on monday concluded that the 24 front line iraqi divisions w Ere no longer a serious threat. A american British and French troops also undercut the  strategy by sweeping around the main front line fortifications in Kuwait and driving dec by into Iraq. The sweeps by tanks and helicopters West of Kuwait Are intended to Cut off the Republican guard in Southern Iraq and other iraqi forces in Kuwait. Before the ground War the political goal of the allies was to evict iraqi troops from Kuwait. Now the military goal is to trap iraqi forces so that they can be captured and disarmed. To Cut off the troops the army a Vii corps mostly armoured forces and British armoured units have been conducting a deep flanking move in iraqi territory. Farther West the army a xvii1 airborne corps and French troops have reached the euphrates River in an Effort to Cut Supply lines. It is a huge logistical undertaking which involved the  of refuelling bases for helicopter assault troops Well inside Iraq. The flanking Allied forces Hope to draw Republican guard units out of their positions to  vulnerable to air attack. If the Republican guard holds its defensive positions the allies can encircle them and concentrate air and ground fire on them in segments. Meanwhile in Kuwait a separate Effort to encircle iraqi troops is being mounted by the marines army and Arab troops taking up positions near Kuwait City. The apparent goal of these Allied moves is to encourage a mass surrender and circumvent House to House fighting. A a we re going to surround it and Cut it off a a said maj. Gen. Harry Jenkins of the marines referring to Kuwait City. To encircle the City saudi troops and other Gulf forces including  Kuwait Are moving to positions on its outskirts. Arab forces Are being joined by the 1st and 2nd Marine dive. The marines attacking in Kuwait have been accompanied by the Tiger brigade of the army s 2nd  div from fort 1 food Texas. The army and marines got into a Battle earlier on monday with an iraqi Lank unit and Defeated the iraqis. Pentagon officials said