News In Brief

Academics express doubts about Iranian offensive

Iran has mustered three-quarters of a million troops including women and boys for a decisive victory over Iraq in the 41-month Gulf war, but it will probably fail, a panel of US strategists said Friday.

The experts, at a news conference sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University, said it was unlikely, whatever the outcome, that the superpowers would intervene or the world be plunged into a new oil crisis. They conceded they were working in the dark to a great extent.