V Corps Headquarters, in northern Kuwait — It is a gateway to Baghdad, a strip of land encompassing marshes and rich farmland, densely populated and within sight of the canals of the Euphrates River Valley.
The Karbala Gap, a choke point 50 to 60 miles south-southwest of Baghdad, was emerging Thursday night as a significant potential battleground in the U.S.-led advance on the Iraqi capital.
It is a last steppingstone into Baghdad, and the Iraqi military and paramilitary seem intent on turning the Karbala Gap into a battle to thwart the forces of the 3rd Infantry Division and inflict as many casualties as possible with tanks, artillery and ground troops.
"The Karbala Gap is the most direct route to Baghdad," a top V Corps officer said Thursday night.
The gap is about 20 to 25 miles wide between the Euphrates and Razaza Lake.
The city of Karbala sits astride the gap. Like Najaf to the southeast it is a stronghold for Shiite Muslims, who are a majority in Iraq but have been persecuted by Saddam Hussein and his fellow Sunnis.
"These are holy cities," said one intelligence officer. "We are treading on very significant ground." U.S. officials said they wanted to avoid heavy damage to the cities lest it enrage the populace.
U.S. officers said the corridor was well defended by two Republican Guard divisions, the Iraqi army's elites. The Medina Division, south of Baghdad, was the force that fought off an assault by U.S. Apache helicopter gunships on Monday, downing one helicopter, damaging more than 30 others and emerging relatively unscathed. To the east stands the other division, the Hammurabi, elements of which have been engaged so far.
Army officers said Thursday night that the Karbala Gap's location was perfectly suited for the jump into Baghdad. The gap rests near two major roads from Baghdad, Highways 1 and 8.
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Control of the Karbala Gap would, in the words of one top officer, open both highways to the U.S. forces, enabling them to fan out and move toward Baghdad in the open desert.
"It is a choke point," said one ranking officer, referring to the gap. "Once we go through, it allows us more freedom of movement between the cities of Karbala and Najaf. It allows us to disperse our maneuver elements. Once through, we have more effective range for our weapons. It allows us to target or monitor the Medina and the Hammurabi Divisions, and allows us to cover the city of Baghdad itself."
"For us, this is key terrain," the officer said. "Those who hold it by fire or occupy it have the advantage of maneuver and have the advantage over the enemy."
"Once we're through the gap, there's no stopping us," said an Army officer.