WAR IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : CIA’s Iraqi Damage Estimate Is Lower

The CIA estimates that 10% to 15% of Iraq’s tanks and artillery in Kuwait have been destroyed by allied bombing, intelligence sources said. The estimate is far below the 35% figure reported by the Pentagon. The discrepancy, the sources said, results from different tools and philosophies used to assess damage. The extent of damage to Iraqi weaponry is important because it would help determine how many casualties U.S. troops would sustain if a ground war were launched against the Iraqis. U.S. officials said about 300,000 of 500,000 Iraqi troops in the war zone still appear to be in fighting form.