ANTHOLOGY AND ANNOTATED BIBHOGRAPHY                                      201

platoon continued its reconnaissance along the southern portion of our main
supply route.   The heavy LAl section, consisting of two 25rnrn light armored
vehicles (LAV-25s), an antitank variant (LAV-AT), a logistical variant (LAV-L),
and the lOSmm howitzer platoon from H Battery, was attached to the 3d Royal
Marine Commando Brigade to conduct operations in the central and eastern areas
of northern Iraq.
   As negotiations over the size of the security zone continued between CTF
PROVIDE COMFORT and Iraqi officials, coalition forces focused their attention
on expanding the security zone to the east and south. The 3d Commando, with
the 3d Battalion, 325th Regiment Airborne Combat Team attached, and the
Dutch Royal Marines were assigned an area of responsibility to the east while
the BLT prepared to move south.
   On the morning of 4 May, a platoon from Company E relieved Company F
at the southern roadblock,   allowing it to begin its movement southward.
Company F was mounted in assault amphibious vehicles and reinforced by one
LAl section and two combined antiarmor teams, with an 8 inIm mortar platoon
and H Battery providing direct fire support.
   Each time the Company moved forward, it forced an Iraqi company ahead
of it to withdraw.  Roadblocks were also established along the route to prevent
any unauthorized movement north toward Zakhu.
   After reaching its final destination, an area five kilometers northwest of
Summayl, Company G was inserted by helicopter to strengthen Company F's
position. With sufficient forces forward and a safe zone cleared north to Zakhu,
BLT 2/8's command element and Company H moved south on 9 May to Muqbal
where they established a fire support base.
   This pushed logistics to the limit. Both military and commercial vehicles had
to be employed to keep supplies moving from Zakhu to Muqbal.        To lessen
this strain, the BLT employed a number of civilian refuelers, but primarily made
use of Battery H's organic five-ton truck assets.
   While this consolidation of forces continued in the Muqbal area, plans were
developed for an unopposed and opposed seizure of Dahuk, depending on what
circumstances dictated. Although Iraqi forces remained outside the 30-kilometer
buffer they agreed on regarding Zakhu, their continued presence in the region
was still somewhat of a destabilizing factor.  When the decision was made that
BLT 2/8 would push on towards Dahuk, it was assigned the 29th British
Commando artillery battalion and an Italian special forces company. The British
artillery  battalion significantly enhanced   the BLT's  indirect fire support
capability with 3 firing batteries, each with 6 lightweight 105mm howitzers with
ranges extending from 15 to 30 kilometers.    The Italian special forces company
that the BLT received operated and trained with our reconnaissance and scout
sniper platoons.  By incorporating the Italians into our operations this way, we
were capable of maintaining an active reconnaissance and surveillance presence
around Dahuk at all times.
   The BLT remained at the Muqbal fire support base from 9 May to 15 June,
while the city of Dahuk was being resettled by the Kurds.      To provide the
companies relief from static defensive duty, a rotation system was established to