KUWAIT: The US military had been building up steadily in readiness for a possible war against Iraq. As Jack Fairweather reports from Kuwait City, the army now occupies about a quarter of the country
"It's just like the good old days," said Adeeb, a taxi-driver who plies his trade between Kuwait city and the UN-controlled demilitarised zone which separates Kuwait from Iraq.
"I know there's another war coming when so many journalists want to come to the border," he said.
Business is booming for Adeeb as American forces in Kuwait ready themselves for war following the passing of the tough new UN resolution on Iraq. Adeeb and his fellow taxi-drivers have become adept at pointing out the new military outposts which have sprung up beside the road.
As he speaks, a squadron of Apache attack helicopters flies overhead. "See, see, the Americans are everywhere now," he said.
While the UN has been debating the new resolution over the past six weeks, the Americans have been perceptibly increasing their military presence in Kuwait.
Although tanks are still not seen driving through the centre of Kuwait city for fear of alarming the Kuwaitis, in outlying districts and near the border with Iraq sightings of military convoys and helicopters have become a regular occurrence.
They are believed to be ferrying troops and equipment into the new military zone which was declared two weeks ago along the Iraqi border. The zone, which covers almost a quarter of Kuwait, has provided a closed arena for American troops to begin exercises prior to an invasion of Iraq.
On Wednesday, Kuwait's Ministry of Defence confirmed that a refuelling depot for fighter planes was being built within the zone, along with a 3km runway for aircraft carrying military freight.
A Kuwaiti security official said, "it is impossible to speculate on the number of US troops who are operating in the zone".
"However, one thing is clear. The Americans are ready to follow through their threat of serious consequences if Saddam Hussein does not comply with the new resolution," the official said.
American military preparations have been more than matched by the Kuwaiti government's efforts to prepare its citizens for war.
In the past month, schools and public buildings in Kuwait have been practising evacuation procedures, and firemen and defence forces have been training to deal with potential rocket and chemical attacks. The government is currently awaiting a shipment of over two million gas-masks.
Dr Shafeeq Ghabra of the Centre for Strategy and Future Studies, an influential government think-tank, said: "The government seems to think that a new resolution means a new timetable war. This is a country which has effectively been on a war footing over the past few weeks."
But despite the intensive preparations, most Kuwaitis have remained calm at the prospect of war.
"This is not the first time we've been told there will be military action," said one Kuwaiti businessman. "Every year we're told Saddam will be removed."
The new resolution has been greeted enthusiastically. "The desire of every of Kuwaiti is to see our old enemy Saddam Hussein overthrown," said Youssef al-Ghanim, a media consultant. "And now that America has gone through the UN, it will receive the full support of other Arab countries as well."