The United States has the world's most powerful hardware for war, while Iraq's military is significantly weaker. Most of Iraq's advanced weapons were destroyed in and after the Gulf war. And the international sanctions and arms embargo have prevented its war gears from recovery. Now let's take a look at a comparison of the two countries' military capabilities.
Military officials say that although the US and British force of 250,000 will be less than half the size of the 1991 Desert Storm force, it will be far more lethal because of advances in weapons, communications and tactics.
Six aircraft carrier battle groups are stationed in the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea. Some 600 warplanes are poised aboard ships or at bases within striking distance of Iraq.
They include B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers, F117 stealth bombers, F14, F-15, F-16 fighters and A-10 thunderbolt warplanes.
Troops, tanks and helicopters from US and British units are in position in Kuwait and elsewhere in the region.
To protect US troops from possible missile strikes from Iraq, the Pentagon moved virtually all of its Patriot-3 missiles, its most advanced anti-missile device to Kuwait.
The US military also has back-up staff and equipment and 24 ships in the Diago Gacia base in the Indian Ocean.
According to Reuters, Iraq's military has about 389,000 full time active personnel.
On the eve of the Gulf war, the Iraqi army comprised 65 divisions, some of which were disbanded gradually after the war.
The military includes six divisions of the elite Republican Guards, about 100,000 personnel, four special republican guards brigades, about 25,000 men and 16 divisions of the regular army, about 400,000 officers and enlisted personnel.
Iraq has anywhere between 12 and 25 scud missile assemblies of various types. It has 5,000 tanks and armored vehicles and about 160 helicopters. But much of Iraq's military equipment is not operational due to poor maintenance since the gulf war.
Iraq has a limited air force of about 20,000 personnel and 300 combat aircraft, including the Migs. But most of its pilots lack training because of the no-fly zones imposed by US and Britain in the north and south of the country.
Most of Iraq's air defense troops are stationed around Baghdad. Compared to 12 years ago, its air defense capabilities have been significantly reduced.
The US troops have a great advantage in terms of military hardware, but experts warn that they still face a tough battle, because tactics and troops' morale are also vital in fighting a war.
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