Some members of the Indian defence fraternity will be keeping a keen eye on the performance of the Iraqi Army against the Americans and the British, and with good reason.

During the 1970s, the Indian Army used to send officers on deputation as instructors to Iraq. The Iraqi Army, like its Indian counterpart, is built around Russian equipment.

Lieutenant General (retired) K S Randhawa is among the Indian military officers who were associated with the training of the modern Iraqi Army in the 1970s. He is now thinking of undertaking a trip to Baghdad to be with his 'pupils'.

Gen Randhawa, who now heads an investment company, said he has already collected his visa.

Asked if it was a show of 'moral support' to the soldiers whom he trained, he says "almost", adding that he prefers to term it a guru's visit to his disciples.

Gen Randhawa said he is in touch with Iraq's defence minister, General Sultan Hashim Ahmad, through intermediaries. He has not spoken directly to Gen Ahmad, who had trained under Gen Randhawa, "because then the Americans will locate him and fire a cruise missile".

When Gen Ahmad, who is accused of several military purges and who negotiated the ceasefire during the First Gulf War in 1991, was Gen Randhawa's understudy in 1977. Randhawa was a brigadier on deputation to Iraq at the time.

They are telling me "you should be in Baghdad", Randhawa said of his conversations with Iraqi friends.

Though the Iraqi Army "is not well equipped like the US Army", its soldiers are "mentally and physically stronger" than the Americans, the retired soldier said.

He warned that the fighting would not get over so easily and "the Americans will get their money's worth".