In a message to the command, 16 January 1991 (6) May God be with you, your loved ones at home, and our Country." Is just! Now you must be the thunder and lightning of Desert Storm. That Iraq must cease its rape and pillage of its weaker neighbor and "Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines of the United States CentralĬommand, this morning at 0300, we launched Operation DESERT STORM,Īn offensive campaign that will enforce the United Nation's resolutions Iraq responded by launching Scud missiles at American military barracks in Saudi Arabia and Israel. Bombing hit Iraq's military targets for the next several weeks. The next night Desert Shield became Desert Storm. January 15 came and went with no response from the Iraqis. When all the forces were in place, the United States issued an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein: leave Kuwait by Januor face a full attack by the multinational force. Although there were few opponents of the conflict, the vast majority of Americans and a narrow majority of the Congress supported the President's actions. The UN condemned Iraq and helped form a coalition to fight Iraq militarily. The United States also sought multilateral support in the United Nations Security Council. Over 500,000 American troops were placed in Saudi Arabia in case of an Iraqi attack. In the last months of 1990, the United States participated in the defense of Saudi Arabia in a deployment known as Operation Desert Shield. President Bush, who succeeded President Reagan, stated simply: "This will not stand." (2) If Saudi Arabia fell, Iraq would control one-fifth of the world's oil supply. The Iraqi takeover posed an immediate threat to Saudi Arabia, another major exporter of oil. Kuwait was a major supplier of oil to the United States. The United States had provided massive military aid to Iraq during their eight-year war with Iran, giving them the fourth largest army in the world. In August 1990, Saddam Hussein, the dictator of Iraq, ordered his army across the border into Kuwait. Desert Storm was the first major foreign crisis for the United States after the end of the Cold War. Troops in Desert Storm confronted air-born toxins from the burning oil.ĭESERT STORM.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |