The U.S. Military Crushed the Iraqi Army in Desert Storm—but Still Lost
Because we learned the wrong lesson.
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Because we learned the wrong lesson.
Is H. R. McMaster's Worldview Compatible with the President's? Though McMaster has a wealth of knowledge of military affairs, evidence suggests his worldviews sharply diverges from Trump’s at critical points. National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster made a rare public appearance at the September 25 Institute for the Study of War security conference, during which time he explained what he saw as his primary job. “We’re there to serve the president and help him to advance his agenda,” McMaster reportedly said. “There’s nobody there to control the president or ‘keep him on...
My Desert Storm Print this article Last month marked the 30-year anniversary of what is often described as the last great tank battle of the 20th century. For those of us who fought in the Battle of 73 Easting, our experience confirmed timeless lessons that apply to combat as well as building confident, high-performing teams capable of taking the initiative and winning. In February 1991, I had the privilege of commanding the soldiers of Eagle Troop, Second Armored Cavalry Regiment. They won a lopsided victory in a larger battle and a war that were also lopsided victories. The assault agains...
History Problem: America Learned the Wrong Lesson from Desert Storm Overwhelmingly victory in the first Gulf War convinced officers, researchers, or journalists of America's military supremacy, leading to the assumption that any future challengers could be easily defeated. This is not the case. Key Point: Misplaced arrogance arising out of an easy victory leads to suboptimal training and insufficient focus. In the heady days following the spectacular U.S. victory over Saddam Hussein’s Republican Guard armored divisions in Operation Desert Storm, military experts in Washington celebrated t...