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Troops facing up to reality

 
Published Nov. 11, 1990|Updated Oct. 18, 2005

A grim new mood swept across this kingdom's eastern desert Saturday as echoes of resurgent war talk reached U.S. encampments and soldiers came to grips with the realization that their fates are now tied firmly to the outcome of the Persian Gulf crisis. With massive American reinforcements on the way and planned troop rotations postponed indefinitely, top commanders cast ambiguity aside and, on the 215th birthday of the Marine Corps, for the first time spoke bluntly about a possible U.S.-led attack against Iraq.

The sobering words about new offensive options and the warnings of an uncertain future had the sound of a call to arms in the starkly martial celebrations held at dusty desert compounds where thousands of Marines are encamped.

"More than ever before," said Maj. Gen. Robert Johnston, chief of staff for the U.S. Central Command, as assembled troops stood at attention, "the prospect of offensive combat is going to be the greatest challenge that Marines have seen in many decades."

"Strong signals are being sent," said Brig. Gen. Thomas Draude, assistant commander of Marine ground forces in Saudi Arabia, adding, in obvious understatement: "Things are a little different than they were a week or so ago."

The two commanders addressed the troops as word began to circulate that President Bush had authorized the deployment of more than 200,000 additional U.S. military personnel over the next two months to join the 230,000 already assigned to the Persian Gulf area.

Among the Marines here, scattered disclosures of the new developments generated less outright complaining than stoic reflection about the implications of being deployed for the duration when the prospect of war seems to be increasing.

Shown a copy of a newspaper story about the canceled rotations, 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Brad Olmstead of Spokane, Wash., sat quietly for a moment in the back of a bouncing five-ton truck.

Then he slung his arm around the shoulder of 23-year-old Lance Cpl. Richard Dobbs, a fellow sentry from the headquarters of the 1st Marine Division, based in Camp Pendleton, Calif. "Buddy," Olmstead said, "we're here to stay."

The expanded U.S. deployment, which includes hundreds of tanks and three aircraft carrier groups, will provide the additional force that commanders have said they would need to launch a possible military offensive to drive Hussein's forces out of Kuwait.

In helicopter shuttles to half a dozen Marine units Saturday, it was evident that few troops had more than sketchy information about either the magnitude of the planned reinforcements or the cancellation of troop rotations.

Some Marines who were told of the no-rotation policy responded with stares of disbelief, reflecting the degree to which many had begun to look forward to some springtime relief.

But from combat troops who for months have urged that they be permitted to "get it over with and get out," the news also prompted hope that the abandonment of rotations meant that the United States was not prepared to wait forever.

"If they say we're going to be here 'til it's over, that means something's going to be happening pretty soon," said Sgt. Perry Cooke of Brooklyn.