The Principle of the Objective and Promoting National Interests: Desert Shield/Storm--A Case Study

Abstract

The successes and failures of American use of military force in the past have been significantly effected by the degree to which the political objectives embodied clarity, measurability and achievability. It is the purpose of this paper to: Trace and analyze the formulation of America's national objectives in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. To analyze how these objectives contributed to a successful conduct and termination of the Gulf crisis; and To determine if, in the long run, these declared national objectives, in fact, best protect or further the US interests in the region. While it is important to learn from our mistakes of the past, it is as important to learn from those things that cause us to succeed. And so it is the success story of Desert Shield/Storm and the associated US objectives that provides a powerful lesson in conflict termination and the use of the military instrument.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA276555

Entities

People

  • William A. Reese

Organizations

  • Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Case Studies
  • Deployment
  • Economic Sanctions
  • Governments
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Organizations
  • Lessons Learned
  • Middle East
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Security
  • United States
  • United States Central Command
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Strategic Security Studies