Download Declared and Undeclared Intentions

Declared and Undeclared
Intentions
Declared Intentions
• Help Kuwait which was invaded. Iraq invaded Kuwait (2 August 2004).
• punish who violated human rights:
Iraq, in its invasion of Kuwait had perpetrated many atrocities on the
Kuwait people, from summary executions, to the torture and
degradation of individuals.
• prevent production of chemical, biological weapons and the Atomic
Bomb,
Iraq had been vigorous in developing weapons of mass destruction. And
some CIA experts thought that Iraq had a biological weapon’s capability
and feared the possibility that Iraq could develop the ability to build
nuclear weapons. About the chemical weapon, Iraq did not hide
anything and had even used it on villages within their own boundaries
(in order to put down the Kurdish independent movement).
• send military force to Kuwait because economic sanction
to Iraq did not stop Kuwait invasion.
Indeed economic sanction had failed to keep Saddam
Hussein from committing atrocities, they had failed to
keep him from developing weapons of mass destruction,
they had failed to keep him from invading Kuwait. So U.S.
military force was not only justified, but absolutely
necessary.
Undeclared Intention
• The United States and its allies’decision to fight the
Iraqi invasion had more to do with preventing an
attack on Saudi Arabia, a nation of far more
economic importance to the world than Kuwait,
• support for U.S. long-time ally Saudi Arabia which
was supplier of oil.
• (Satellite photos showed Iraq’s forces along Saudi
Arabia borders)
• Iraqi control of oil fields as well as Kuwait and Iraqi
reserves would have given it control of the majority
of the world's reserves.
Operation Desert Storm
air and ground assault phases of the
first Gulf War against Iraq
2 Phases
• Air Force
• Ground Force
The Air War
The air campaign was launched on January 16th 1991, the
day after the United States deadline for Iraqi withdrawal
from Kuwait.
It was a very powerful attack conducted by the United
States, French, British, Saudi, Italian and various Arab Air
Forces that shocked all in the world.
First the Coalition attacked radar installations. Then went to
Baghdad to destroy command and control centers, air bases and
hangars were bombed. So they weakened all aspects of Iraqi air
defense.
This attack was devastating, and Iraq realized that they were not as
powerful as the Coalition, so they tried psychological methods:
they used human hostages as shield for prime targets. Moreover,
they placed their aircraft near ancient historic sites and holy places
knowing that the Coalition would not attack where it might be
significant “collateral damage”.
On January 24th Iraq wanted to demonstrate their own air offensive
capability they attacked the major Saudi oil refinery, but they were
defeated by the Allies and made no more air efforts.
The Coalition degraded Iraqi capability to fight on the ground
with fuel bombs, cluster bombs, armor piercing guided bombs,
missiles…
entire regiments, brigades and divisions crushed in a few
minutes.
The Ground War
Air war defeated the Iraqi forces in Kuwait and the ground
campaign was merely a “prisoner roundup”.
However without forces on the ground it is impossible to hold
territories
On February 24th 1991 the much feared Marine Division began
the ground campaign. Then all members of the Coalition fought
from all parts of Kuwait country.
They were only one highway out of Kuwait: the four lane desert
highway that lead from Kuwait City to the Al Jahra’pass. This
highway was bombed and thousands of fleeing Iraqis were killed
and wounded.
As the Coalition had cut off this highway, the leader determined
that the objective had been accomplished.
On February the 28th President Bush ordered the cessation of
military operations.