Myers discusses possibility of war

1/21/2003 - INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stopped here Jan. 19 en route to meet with Turkish leaders in Ankara.

Although here for just a few hours, Gen. Richard B. Myers took time to talk to troops about the volatile situation in the gulf.

"There is nobody in their right mind that wants to go to war," Myers said. "But if you want to change a regime, you have to put the pressure on so they do the right thing."

In this case, that pressure has taken the form of deployed servicemembers.

"The way to pressure a regime is to build up forces, and that's what we're doing," the general said. "We've steadily built up the rest of the region, and we'll do the same (in Turkey) if we get permission.

"We'll continue to build up forces until the regime sees no choice (but to change)," he said. "It's our only hope of avoiding conflict."

Myers was quick to add that everything is reversible.

"But in the meantime, we have to be ready," he said. "Our (leadership's) job is to make sure our military plans are sound so we present President Bush with ultimate flexibility. We have to convince Iraq with all means available to do the right thing."

The chairman stressed war is not inevitable.

"In my mind, there isn't a trigger event we're looking at," the chairman said.

Myers said there are several factors that can determine future events.

"I'll personally be paying attention to the interim report by the inspectors to the (United Nations) on Jan. 27," he said. "While it will be important, that alone won't trigger war. But (there are) other things in the news, like finding artillery shells and documents on a nuclear program ... we'll have to wait and see."

But how long can the military wait at such a high state of readiness?

"If it's important enough, a heck of a long time," Myers said.

It seems as if military people agree, he said.

"People are fired up, charged up, whether airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines, civilians or Turkish nationals," he said. "They're ready to do whatever called on to do."

While most of the world remains focused on Iraq, the chairman said U.S. leaders have not forgotten about the situation in North Korea.

"We're trying to work through diplomatic channels," he said. "Since we haven't seen any major preparation for war, we have no intent to move forces around."

Myers said government officials will continue to watch the situation closely.

"When I was a captain stationed at Kadena (Air Base, Japan,) during the Vietnam War, I attended a big formal party," he said. "The wing commander stood up and told us there was good news, no deployments in the foreseeable future. The next day, we were heading out."

The lesson he learned was that the future is uncertain, and people have to be prepared for anything.

But this uncertainty can be stressful, particularly in forward-deployed locations like Incirlik, the general said.

"Don't underestimate what you do," he said. "While there are pluses and minuses of being forward deployed, what you do is so important ... you bring peace and stability."

The chairman said the reserve components, especially the members with full-time civilian jobs, have it particularly hard.

"We're continuing to work to ensure there's no undue burden on our guardsmen and reservists," he said. "As a former guardsman himself, the president understands reservists' situation in a personal way. He has expressed his appreciation on many occasions."

This appreciation extends to all military people, whether active duty or reserve.

"I sleep easy at night knowing you and your counterparts are ready to do what you need to do," he said. "There are people out there trying to plot against our way of life and are prepared to do so with chemical, biological, even nuclear weapons. The world is a lot safer because you're here.

"Your families back home may be worried, and they have a right to be," he said. "But they're a lot safer with you here than back home. In the end, the difference you make is huge."