Operation Desert Storm Analysis

During the 1990’s the Cold War was coming to a close, and the first major crisis for the United States immediately afterward was Operation Desert Storm. Operation Desert Storm started out as Desert Shield due to the fact that the United States was shielding Kuwait from the armies of Iraq. Looking back the United States had been supplying Iraq with military supplies for the better part of the 80’s, so that they could fight the Soviets. The Iraqis’ in turn used those supplies to attack Kuwait. Desert Shield became Desert Storm by President Bush giving Saddam Hussein an ultimatum saying that if they did not withdraw by January 15, 1991, then the United States would force them to withdraw. This war was much more than the United States protecting
This primary source comes from an actual soldier’s perspective, giving the reader new insights on what the Iraqi soldiers felt during the conflicts. Here is from the same Lieutenant an excerpt from his diary on 17 January, when the first bombs started falling onto the Iraqi forces, “"Say this: all that happens is what God has decided for us" [a quotation from the Koran, the holy book of the Islamic religion]. This morning at 2:45 A.M. I heard military aircraft. A few seconds later, the guard came in and told me in a voice tinged with caution, fear, and consternation, "Lieutenant, lieutenant, there may be bombing." I dressed quickly and then realized that the American and Atlantic attack against our country was starting and that the war had begun. This is war, with all that word implies. Afterwards, the enemy planes began their intensive bombing on the airfield that we have been assigned to defend, at Al-Salman in Al-Matna province.” (“Anonymous Iraqi Army Lieutenant.")
I am very worried. Rather I am very worried for my relatives. They are all alone out there. And I know how afraid they are.” This excerpt from the diary shows how frightened the soldier was for his family, as well as the chaos that the attack from the Allied Forces created amongst the Iraqi
There was Desert Shield which sought to defend the Kuwaiti people from the forces of Iraq, and gave the Iraqi forces from November 1990 till 15 January, 1991 to leave Kuwait. Once 15 January had come to pass, Operation Desert Shield became Operation Desert Storm. In Desert Storm, the United States along with United Nation allies overwhelmed the Iraqi forces in under two months. On February 28, 1991 there was a ceasefire declared. This was a major win for the America due to it being the first major armed forces victory since Vietnam, and the first major win outside of the Cold War. There were however, some negative repercussions to the war, there was massive damage dealt to Kuwait and