IN THE KUWAITI DESERT (AP) — Long columns of US troops, armoured vehicles and trucks advanced through swirling sand toward the Iraqi border yesterday, positioning themselves to invade on short notice.

With just hours left before US President George W Bush’s deadline for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq, Major General Buford Blount III, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, ordered his 20,000 soldiers and 10,000 tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and fuel trucks to line up near the border.

The soldiers had slept under the stars after packing their tents into the back of their convoy, where the tents will likely stay until the worst of the fighting is over.

At the Army’s Camp New Jersey, the commander of the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade summoned his officers for a “battle update” briefing. “We are one day closer to making history, everybody,” said Colonel Michael Linnington.

A strong sandstorm swept in yesterday, affecting several units and hampering movement and visibility. The winds later died down, but a lot of haze remained, with visibility a little over a mile (a kilometre and a half).

Major General David Petraeus, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, said, “We always watch the weather because it has an effect on flying conditions and really a lot of the activities you can see. Everything takes a little bit longer.”

About 300,000 troops — most of them from the United States, about 40,000 from Britain — waited within striking distance of Iraq. Backing them were scores of attack helicopters and more than 1,000 airplanes.

At sea, the aircraft carriers USS Theodore Roosevelt and Harry S Truman moved a step closer to war footing, getting ready to conduct operation flights around the clock.

On the USS Theodore Roosevelt, combat pilots and others were ordered to snooze through the day so they could work through the night. Those on the USS Harry S Truman remained on day duty — thus providing round-the-clock combat capability.

Near the war zone, US commander Tommy Franks hunkered down with other top military officers at the forward command centre in Qatar, about 700 miles (1,125 kilometres) from Baghdad.

“He wants to make sure that the commanders have thought about every possible contingency that you can,” US Central Command spokesman Jim Wilkinson said of Franks.

Equipment, supplies and troops continued to arrive in Kuwait, where most of the US and British ground troops preparing to invade Iraq were awaiting their final orders. Military officials said there was no last-minute surge in activity at Kuwait’s ports and airfields because front-line units were already prepared.