File: 082696_d50028_040.txt
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Total Pages: 274

Gulf. (Washington PosA, August 17, p. Al 6.)

Secretary of Defense Cheney signs an order to blockade all shipping to and from Iraq.
(Washington Post, August 17, p. A16.)

Iraqi military authorities direct U.S. and British diplomats in Kuwait to order 2,500
Americans and 4,000 British stranded there to assemble in two separate hotels.
(Washington Post, August. 17, p. Al.)

"...his [Hussein's] timing was incredibly bad. Several years ago he could have hid
under the nuclear skirts of the Soviet Union, his long-time ally and major arms supplier.
But now. the Soviets have condemned his aggression. And if he had waited a year or
so.. .the U.S... would more than likely have disarmed itself and retreated into neo-
isolationism." (N~imes, August 17, p. 23.)

August 17
Friday --- Two Iraqi vessels were found empty upon interdiction. (Washington Post,
August 18, p. Al.)

Gorbachev warns against war in Gulf and states that Iraqi invasion is "blatant
violation" of international law. (Washington Post, August 18, p. Al3.)

U.N. Security Council directs its Secretary General to take appropriate steps to gain
release of foreign nationals caught in Kuwait. (Washington Post, August 18, p. Al.)

U.S. Transportation Command orders a Stage One mobilization of the Civil Reserve
Air Fleet. (~~yy_Times, September 3, p. 23.)

Sources indicate that 37 Ready Reserve Force vessels are being activated or will be
soon. They include:

o Eight fast sealift ships.
o Two hospital vessels.
o Two aviation support vessels.
o Four lighter-aboard-ship (LASH) vessels.
o Three SeaBee vessels.
o Eighteen other Ready Reserve Force vessels.

The National Defense Reserve Fleet, managed for the Navy by the U.S. Maritime
Administration, totals 212 vessels which includes the 96 ships in the Ready Reserve
Force that are maintained for activation in 5, 10 or 20 days. Defense planners want to
increase that force to 142 in 1994. However, while the National Defense Reserve Fleet

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