A former general gave his opinions of what may happen if the United States goes to war in Iraq yesterday.
Gen. Bernard Trainor, a retiree of the U.S. Marine Corps, enlightened a small crowd on a possible war in the Middle East.
“The likelihood is that we will go to war in the not-too-distant future,” Trainor said.
Trainor highlighted similarities and differences between the Persian Gulf War and the present conflict.
Trainor used graphics to compare positions of Iraqi troops then and now.
During the Gulf War, Iraq put all of its troops on the southern border to fight off the U.S. invasion. In the current situation, Hussein has sets of troops all around the country, trying to prevent any easy way of marching into Baghdad.
Trainor also gave his strategy on how the United States might invade Iraq. If Turkey and Saudi Arabia allow U.S. forces to go through their countries, the United States could come into Iraq from both ends and meet in the middle at Baghdad.
On the other hand, if Turkey and the Saudis do not let U.S. troops use their countries, the United States will come up from the Persian Gulf and advance on Baghdad, he said.
The overwhelming advantage goes to the United States because Iraq cannot advance on the U.S. troops.
“They have no offensive,” Trainor said. “They know they can’t move so they dig in.”
Trainor said intimidation could help the United States’ cause by scaring soldiers out of fighting. Iraq’s forces are weak, he said. Iraq has a small fighting ground force which is experienced, but its navy and air forces are not much of a threat.
“The worst thing an Iraqi pilot could hear is, ‘You’re cleared for take-off,’ ” he said.
Trainor gave the lecture as part of an ongoing series at the Mershon Center focusing on national security.
“I hope that the administration, if it does go to war, will have the approval of the United Nations,” said Richard Herrmann, director of the Mershon Center and professor in political science. “I’m hopeful that we can avoid this, but it is doubtful.”
Those in attendance had strong views both for and against the war.
“I certainly think if the Security Council were to authorize the use of force that it would be lawful for the United States to use military force to try to eliminate weapons of mass destruction,” said Mary Ellen O’Connell, professor of law and associate of the Mershon Center.
“Without that authorization, the use of force by the United States will be unlawful and put the United States in grave breech of the United Nations Security Council, which we helped draft,” O’Connell said.
Trainor fought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars; he retired from the military in 1985. He speaks on strategic opinions on television and for newspapers.
