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U.S. kicks off war games in Gulf
Editor's note: In early December, U.S. forces launched military exercises in Qatar. DOHA, Qatar (CNN) -- U.S. forces are staging a major war games simulation in the Gulf state of Qatar to test a forward command center that could direct an eventual conflict in Iraq. Internal Look is a biennial exercise to test the command, control and communications ability of Central Command Headquarters and all of the component commands throughout the area of responsibility (AOR) of CentCom. "Internal Look has begun and is proceeding on schedule," said Jim Wilkinson, Director of Strategic Communications for CentCom. "This exercise will give General Franks and the battle staff a front line opportunity to learn new lessons and improve the command's ability to be decisive on the modern battlefield." For the first time, the operation is being run from outside the United States, in what could be preparation for a possible war with Iraq. The high-tech simulation started shortly after 7:30 a.m. (0430GMT) on Monday and will run 24 hours a day for the next nine or 10 days. Mobile command and communications equipment has been erected for the exercise at the heavily guarded Al Sayliyah military installation in the tiny desert emirate. The mobile command post, shipped from Florida, will remain in Qatar after the exercise concludes next week. However, it was not clear what would happen to the 600 military personnel involved, CNN's John Vause reported. Four hundred British troops were participating and several Australian observers were present. The commander of CentCom, Gen. Tommy Franks arrived in Qatar Friday to monitor Internal Look. He was surrounded with 50 senior staff in the "war room," described as the most secure room in the base, Vause said. The officials have told CNN that Franks -- at his temporary headquarters in Qatar -- has everything he needs to stay in touch with his senior staff in the region and back in the United States. They say he can do everything in Qatar he can do at the McDill Air Force Base in Tampa where CentCom is based. Franks Monday received his daily operations and intelligence updates on the real-world activities in CentCom's area of responsibility, including the ongoing mission in Afghanistan, the officials said. "Military planners insist this is not just a dry run for war with Iraq, but that Iraq will be one of many considerations," Vause said. According to its Web page, CentCom coordinates U.S. military operations throughout the "Horn of Africa, South and Central Asia, and Northern Red Sea regions, as well as the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq."
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