35 years ago Operation Desert Storm began

On 17 January 1991, following Iraq’s failure to comply with UN Resolution 678 (which ordered Iraq to cede Kuwait to its people and to repay any damage inflicted on it by 15 January 1991), the Coalition formed by 35 countries and led by the United States of America decided to attack the Iraqi and Kuwaiti territories with precision aerial, land and naval bombing towards military structures. Thus began Operation Desert Storm, the evolution of Operation Desert Shield (which began on 3 August 1990) and which would lead, after 41 days of continuous bombing, to the surrender of Iraq and the return of Kuwait as an Independent State.

To date, this Operation is considered one of the most phenomenal military successes of the US armed forces and more generally of the NATO forces (even though the Operation was not conducted under a NATO mandate and some Coalition countries did not belong to it), perhaps even the last great US success that managed to restore confidence in its armed forces since the crushing defeat in Vietnam. The Operation, headed by US General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. (considered the last great US General and one of the best in history), managed to have an extremely tiny number of military casualties (around 300) against a combined armed force of over 900,000 men and against an army of equal number and very good competence. Furthermore, considering the high population density of the area, civilian victims were very limited considering the amount of bombing (the most confirmed estimates are around 4000 civilians killed.

The Operation, which also contains Operation Desert Saber (the land invasion aimed at reconquering Kuwait) is also famous because it features the largest oil accident in human history: the Kuwaiti oil fires. These fires, caused for the vast majority by the Iraqis as a form of scorched earth, caused the release into the environment (air, soil and water) of over half a billion barrels of crude oil as well as 7-9 billion cubic meters of gas. the entire region was enveloped in a black cloud, often constant, for months and became visible even from space.

This post is made to commemorate what was in all respects such a calamitous event that its geopolitical ramifications (such as the Chinese military doctrine) are still present today, and therefore it is right to remember. Below you will find a brief description of each photo:

1. a US M1A1 Abrams marching with destroyed enemy units in the distance, filmed by the periscope of the pilot of another Abrams. Unknown date (probably February 1991)

2. CENTAF Captain Wayland Patterson sits atop an Iraqi T-72 destroyed in March 1991, with pits burning behind it.

3. An Iraqi Type 69-QM abandoned after the Battle of 73 Easting. Note the writing on the side left by a US soldier as well as the huge black cloud caused by the fires behind. Unknown date (probably between February 26, 1991 and March)

4. A pair of F-16As, a pair of F-15Es and an F-15C fly over the tortured territory of Kuwait. Date unknown.

5. An American soldier poses on top of an Iraqi tank (probably a T-55), with burning peteoliferous wells in the background. Unknown date (probably February 1991)

6. An RAF Tornado GR.1A (named G-Grannie) belonging to the 20th Squadron flying over Saudi Arabia, flanked by a Handley Page Victor refueler. Unknown date (probably January 1991)

7. An Air Force Tornado IDS, belonging to the 36th Wing and with serial number MM7061, flies over the skies of the Persian Gulf. Date unknown