Rumsfeld Declares U.S. Military Ready For Invasion

by DEBKAfile Headlines

21 February 2003

Rumsfeld declares US military buildup in Gulf is ready for invasion. By end of month strength will stand at six aircraft carriers, 200,000 troops

Turkish PM Gul promises US reply on bases Friday. US Defense Secretary: Without Turkey “we’ll do it another way”


US and Britain 'ready for Iraq war'

Times Online

21 February 2003

Britain and the US is now ready to launch an invasion of Iraq if London and Washington decides to go to war against Baghdad, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said. Speaking on the US television programme, The Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Mr Rumsfeld described the forces ranged against Iraq in the Gulf as "ample". "We are at a point where, if the President makes that decision (to attack), the Department of Defence is prepared and has the capabilities and the strategy to do that."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/TGD/tgdBreakingNewsDisplay/0,,3,00.html#0