CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk more about those troops the Pentagon is moving closer to fighting a war. A large number of battle commanders are heading to the Persian Gulf region. CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre brings us the latest.</s>JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Just last month, the U.S. sent about 1,000 top military planners and commanders from the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida to the tiny Persian Gulf nation of Qatar to conduct an exercise called Internal Look. It was essentially a dry run of war against Iraq. Now, Pentagon sources indicate those same military planners will be heading back to the region potentially for the real thing. Beginning this week, the first of about 1,000 U.S. battle staff will be moving from Florida to Qatar to begin setting up the headquarters possibly for real. The one military commander who won't be there, at least not right away, is Persian Gulf commander Army General Tommy Franks, who will be first staying in Washington for more high-level meetings, and then making a tour of the Persian Gulf region to consult with U.S. allies before any war would be ordered. Pentagon officials stress at every opportunity that President Bush has not yet made a decision to go to war, but the Pentagon wants to be ready to give him maximum flexibility to order a war as soon as the beginning of next month. Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.
U.S. Commanders Ordered to Persian Gulf Region