A number of military bases in the region would be key to an assault on Iraq – if their governments allowed the US to use them for the purpose.
Qatar: Command and control centre for an attack on Iraq is expected to be in Qatar. 3,300 US troops are based at the al-Udeid base.
Kuwait: 10,000 US troops based here. A new army base, Camp Arifjan, is being built. Ground forces for an attack could come from Kuwait.
Turkey: US ground forces could launch from here. 1,700 air force personnel are based mainly at the Incirlik air base.
Oman: 2,000 air force personnel are deployed at the al-Seeb air base.
United Arab Emirates: 500 mostly US Air Force personnel based here.
Bahrain: Headquarters to the US 5th Fleet and 4,000 personnel.
Saudi Arabia: 6,600 US personnel are based here. Two US Patriot missile batteries stationed to protect against a possible Iraqi missile attack.
Djibouti: 3,000 US special forces, marines and air force personnel establishing a base.
Diego Garcia: British-owned Indian Ocean island is home to a fleet of US B-2 stealth bombers.
Naval forces: Three aircraft carrier battle groups within striking range of Iraq - the USS Harry S Truman in Mediterranean Sea, and the USS Constellation and USS Abraham Lincoln are in the Gulf.
Exercises: 1,000 US troops due in Israel in late December to test Patriot missile defence system. 3,000 US army troops end large-scale manoeuvres in the Kuwait desert.
