US expanding Iraq air bases; digging in for the oil?

Ashwin Tombat
01 August 2007

All indications are that the Iraq war is becoming so unpopular, that the Americans will have to withdraw sooner rather than later. Then why are they expanding their air bases? By Ashwin Tombat

The US public may want US military forces in Iraq to come home, and the US Congress might vote on withdrawal deadlines, but the US military seems to be digging in for a long stay in the oil-rich country that is today being torn apart by sectarian strife.

The unpopular Bush administration may have realised that it has to bring the troops in Iraq back home sooner rather than later, but it hopes to retain firm control of oil-rich Iraq by a combination of overwhelming American air power and Iraqi ground troops.

Small wonder that the US Air Force is lengthening an 11,000 ft runway at Balad Airbase, and recently moved several squadrons of F-16C fighters and A-10 ground attack aircraft to Iraq.

Word at the Pentagon is that the US intends to maintain six major bases in Iraq in the foreseeable future. In addition to air power, each base will have a helicopter-borne rapid reaction infantry brigade. A brigade normally has a strength of between 3,500 to 5,500 fighting men.

In addition, the US plans to keep the formidable $220 million B-1 bombers within a hour's flying time from Iraq, probably at one of its bases in Saudi Arabia. A B-1 can carry up to 40,000 lbs (18.5 tonnes) of highly accurate and extremely destructive GPS-guided 500-lb and 1,000-lb 'smart' bombs.

The air imperative
Air cover is vital for the effectiveness of the US mission in Iraq. Had it not been for US fighters and AC-130 gunships that can be scrambled at a few minutes' notice, the over-stretched US military in Iraq would have a very hard time, and might even face defeat.