45,000 Marines Readied for Gulf, U.S. Sources Say

KENNEBUNKPORT, Me. — Pentagon sources today disclosed plans to deploy 45,000 Marines to the inflamed Persian Gulf region to supplement the thousands of Army, Navy and Air Force troops already committed.

The size of the Marine deployment became known as one source said the President had given naval commanders in the Persian Gulf permission to use “minimum force” to halt shipments to and from Iraq in enforcement of a U.N.-backed trade embargo.

At the Pentagon, spokesman Pete Williams said today that Iraq has continued to increase its armed forces in Kuwait and that intelligence reports estimate their number at 160,000. He said there has been no major change in the character of the forces, which the Pentagon earlier described as having a defensive appearance.

The size of the Marine deployment was disclosed by officials speaking on condition of anonymity.

Gen. John Dailey, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, said the service has sent a “substantial armada” of assault troops--the largest since the Vietnam War.

“We don’t just arrive,” the four-star general said in an interview. “We’re there to stay for a fairly lengthy period.”