Operation Desert Storm: Bush Announces Ground War
Posted on December 28th, 2009 by admin
President Bush announces the start of the ground war in Kuwait, and why it was necessary. This video comes from one of my VHS tapes of the 1991 gulf war.
Desert Storm: The Land War
By 24 February 1991, airpower had weakened Iraq’s land forces in Kuwait to the point where the UN commander, General Schwarzkopf, felt ready to launch a land offensive. Early that morning, UN land forces attacked along a broad front from the Persian Gulf to Rafha on the Iraqi‐Saudi border. This attack had two principal thrusts: a massive, highly mobile “left hook” around and through Iraqi positions to the west of Kuwait to envelop the elite Republican Guard; and a thrust straight through Iraq’s defenses along the Kuwaiti border designed to fix the forward Iraqi divisions.
The “left hook” was carried out by a mix of U.S., British, and French armored and airborne forces. The armored VII Corps deployed four armored divisions, one of them British, for the main thrust. Its western flank was protected by the U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps, composed of three U.S. divisions—the 82nd Airborne, the 101st Air Mobile, and the 24th Infantry (Mechanized)—and the French 6th Light Armored Division. They advanced toward the Iraqi cities of Salman, west of Kuwait, and Nasiriya on the Euphrates River, and attacked in an arc to the northeast toward the main routes of communication leading north from Kuwait toward Basra in Iraq. French forces led the attack toward the Iraqi lines of communication along the Euphrates. U.S. armored, mechanized, and attack helicopter forces advanced rapidly toward Basra in the leading edge of the “left hook.” British forces guarded the U.S. flank and attacked to the northeast across the gorge of al‐Batin along the Iraqi‐Kuwaiti border.
The other thrust—directly north through the Iraqi positions along the Kuwaiti border—was carried out by the I Marine Expeditionary Force, and an all‐Arab corps composed primarily of the Saudi Army and Egyptian units. These forces rapidly penetrated Iraq’s forward defenses and advanced so swiftly that Iraq’s shattered ground forces in Kuwait could only launch scattered counterattacks. As a result, the allies rushed toward Kuwait City, Wafrah, and Jahrah.
Though some Iraqi Republican Guard units fought well, the bulk of Iraq’s army consisted of poorly trained conscripts with low morale and little motivation. Many Iraqi troops fled after putting up only brief resistance and others were taken prisoner. As a result, UN forces reached their major objectives in Kuwait in half the time originally planned. At the same time, the Coalition continued its air attacks, dropping a total of 88,500 tons of ordnance. U.S. and British air units used 6,520 tons of precision‐guided weapons and destroyed or damaged 54 bridges. These attacks helped to end the war by cutting off Iraqi land forces from the roads along the Tigris River north of Basra, although UN forces did not have time to encircle fully or cut off all Iraqi forces, or to use airpower to destroy the retreating Iraqi forces around Basra.
By 26 February, Coalition land forces were in Kuwait City, and U.S. forces had advanced to positions in Iraq to the south of Nasiriya. Many of these advances had taken place at night and all occurred in spite of major rainfalls, substantial amounts of mud, and weather problems hampering the ability to provide air support. These advances effectively ended the war.
Baghdad radio announced on 26 February that all Iraqi forces would withdraw from Kuwait in compliance with UN Resolution 660. A day later, President Bush declared that the United States would halt military operations early in the morning of 28 February, a week after the land offensive had begun. A cease‐fire was negotiated on 3 March and formally signed on 6 April. IRAQ AGREED TO ABIDE BY ALL THE U.N. RESOLUTIONS.
Duration : 0:9:10
[youtube hA2jitVn21Q]
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I’m not so sure I …
I’m not so sure I believe that Saddam was going to regroup another assault. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. I think the real motivation was to make use of an extremely expensive military mobilization, which cost the American taxpayers a TON of money, for an otherwise useless mobilization, if we didn’t make good on making war. Saddam did this crap all the time during the Clinton era. He’d poise his tanks on the boarder like he did in 91 and force us into an expensive mobilization.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Secretary of …
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates 8:42
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Dick Cheney 2:10
Dick Cheney 2:10
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
When Iraq first …
When Iraq first invaded Kuwait, Bush said it was not an American issue.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Bush Sr. = SLIMEY …
Bush Sr. = SLIMEY LIAR, WAR CRIMINAL
Bush Jr. = SLIMEY LIAR, WAR CRIMINAL
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
@ …
@michaelheiland123654 in other words you just said “I support socialism instead of the republic we have stood for 1776
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
@ …
@patrickvelascovideos then whoever says that is an idiot. Jack Ruby or Oswald killed and or prepared to kill him. That is the only facts on the table here
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
dude….bush sr. …
dude….bush sr. has high ranking in illuminati. some say he gained power and rank for preparing kennedys assasination. g. bush sr. is just as bad as his son, just inconspicuous.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
What Elite …
What Elite Republican Gaurd? They made it up!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
nah, reagan was the …
nah, reagan was the man but bush was ok, agreed that his son was a dudd.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I like obama better …
I like obama better then bush!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
It needs a complete …
It needs a complete Strategic and Operations overhaul.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
And will be for …
And will be for many years to come!!!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Indeed. His dad …
Indeed. His dad should have kicked his for the way he has done things. Desert Shield/Storm went smooth as butter. OIF on the other hand is a complete mess.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
To bad his …
To bad his greatness didnt rub off on Jr. I am very glad you feel that way. George Bush Sr was the man!!!!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
George Sr was …
George Sr was great, his son on the other hand is a complete idiot.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Goerge Sr was a …
Goerge Sr was a much better President then Jr. He gave america his intentions and did just that. His objective was to get Iraq out of kuwait and that was all. He had reason to go in and out!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I served in DS as …
I served in DS as well. Bush got us in and out with precision. I know the first amendment protects your derogatory statements about our former president, but I think it reveals the weakness of your character even more.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
yes
yes
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
You a idiot, You …
You a idiot, You prob need mental help, You want bush to pay for your health? You a idiot!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I also served in DS …
I also served in DS with 2nd Marine Div.
Fuck G Bush Sr.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Grow a pair! My …
Grow a pair! My step-dad was in that war and he was born in 1956. GHWB was a WWII vet! A lot harder than that war. The fact that he’s jumping out of a plane in the 90’s and today is a credit to his character. Your arrogance and selfish nature drives you to be weak toward the entanglement of war. Grow up sir. If you were unable to endure the trials of war then why did you report at MEPS? Don’t be a child and blame others for your trials!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
You need to get a …
You need to get a life, What you want bush to pay you?
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Your nothing but a …
Your nothing but a dumbass
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
You mean sign how …
You mean sign how do you sing to war