WASHINGTON, Dec 9: US forces kicked off on Monday a week-long exercise in Qatar to test a high-tech forward command centre that could direct an eventual war in Iraq, the US Central Command said.

About 1,000 US and British battle staff led by Gen Tommy Franks, commander-in-chief US Central Command, launched the “Internal Look” war games from Qatar’s As-Sayliyah army base south of Capital Doha.

The exercise involves thousands of US troops worldwide who will be controlled from a portable command headquarters to be set up in Qatar. The exercise will continue through Dec 16 or 17. Phase one of “Internal Look” started last month when Central Command brought the portable command and control communications centre and moved it to As-Sayliyah military base.

As-Sayliyah will probably serve as the Centcom headquarters if the United States goes to war against Iraq.

Although based in Florida, Central Command is responsible for US military activities in East Africa and southwestern Asia. It is also expected to head Washington’s military offensive against Baghdad.

Phase two, which started on Monday, is the playing of war games inside the prefab buildings in the desert, Centcom officials said. ‘Internal Look’ will not involve ground troops, but will test the ability of senior commanders to coordinate with the portable headquarters, they said.

During the exercise, soldiers will maintain a round-the-clock communication with the main headquarters in Tampa, Florida as well as with the US forces elsewhere in the Middle East. The United States has a substantial number of troops in Kuwait and air force personnel in Saudi Arabia.

The navy and the Marine Corps have regional headquarters in Bahrain. If the war does not break out, Gen Franks and his senior staff will return to Florida by mid-December after the exercise but US military personnel will retain the portable headquarters in Qatar “for the time being,” one of the CENTCOM officials told reporters.

The Centcom battle staff and military personnel are going to participate in realistic, but obviously fictitious military scenarios.