Today in History: George H.W. Bush announces Operation Desert Storm

chicagotribune ^ | 01/16/2025 | AP

[ChicagoConservative27]

Today in history:

On Jan. 16, 1991, in a televised address to the nation, U.S. President George H.W. Bush announced the start of Operation Desert Storm, an Allied combat operation to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

[ChicagoConservative27]

I remember this. He had a 89 percent approval after the war ended and you know the rest.

[ChuckHam]

I remember this day well. Watched our aircraft launch out of Saudi Arabia on those first day missions.

[No name given]

It ended with Slick Willy defeating him in 1992.

[ChicagoConservative27]

I was 14 in 1992 and very upset when he lost lol

[irishjuggler]

A dark day in retrospect. An opening salvo by the NWO-neocon gang.

[Orosius]

I recall (out of curiosity) attending a lefty protest rally in LA at which featured speaker Daniel Ellsberg (remember him?) predicted dire consequences for US troops invading Iraq. Turned out he overestimated the capabilities of Saddam’s army. But then Bush snatched defeat from the jaws of victory by letting Saddam remain in power.

[AAABEST]

I was there, for Sheild and Storm.

I agree with you 100%.

[mairdie]

News - Desert Storm: Desert Victory - A&E - 1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOdFveB-vwk

[Leaning Right]

> It ended with Slick Willy defeating him in 1992. <

Slick Willy and Ross Perot. Perot took around 19% of the popular vote.

Exhibit A for having runoff elections for president like they do in France.

[laplata]

Thank you for your sacrifice and service. You guys kicked ass.

[Retain Mike]

When George Bush made the announcement, he did so as the commander in chief chosen by the UN. It began with the United Nations Security Council passing Resolution 678, which did not order the coalition to simply expel Saddam’s forces from Kuwait but used a more expansive term for which precedence exited. The term” restore international peace and security in the area” used language the UN and our Congress understood from the Korean War and after the Inchon landing to authorize the invasion of Iraq as it had then affirmed military operations above the 38th parallel to invade North Korea.

A point to emphasize is that the resolution language was accepted by all five permanent members of the Security Council who had veto powers. Great Britain and often France could be relied upon to support United States initiatives, but Russia and the PRC could have promised a veto and demanded the more restrictive language to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Therefore, at the margin those two countries made the later invasion of Iraq possible. To believe invasion was not authorized in the case of Iraq requires breathtaking, premeditated ignorance, because each phrase of Resolutions 678, 687, and 1441 were laboriously parsed by diplomats and politicians whose lives are dedicated to precise meaning of words and precedents. In the debate about 687 and 1441, Bush's authorization could have again been restricted.

[Zathras]

My dad was excited because after 20 years getting the fire control system working on the Apache, we were finally going to see how it worked in combat.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I was sitting on my couch watching TV when it started.

[ChicagoConservative27]

Thank you for your service!

[dakine]

In a tent on Taif AB SA... Listening to EF-111s taking off 200 yards away..

[DEPcom]

“I remember this day well. Watched our aircraft launch out of Saudi Arabia on those first day missions.”

I vividly remember launching all our bombers and tankers from Diego Garcia. The ramp was filled with jet engine exhaust, creating a sensation that tickled the back of your throat. A day I will never forget.

[Aeneas2112]

6 trillion of our dollars spent, hundreds of thousands killed. for nothing.

[Retain Mike]

It did not have to turn out the way it did. Besides the Bushes, Clinton and Obama got in the middle of it. I would agree with Mao Tse-tung echoing Sun Tzu in declaring that war and politics reside on a continuum. Mao said, “It can therefore be said that politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.” I would expect Clinton and Obama to support the most feeble and imbecilic initiatives coming from OOD and State.

[Retain Mike]

Obama says it cost a trillion dollars and Wikipedia says $1.1 trillion.

Iraq war has cost US $1 trillion, says Obama

https://www.smh.com.au/world/iraq-war-has-cost-us-1-trillion-says-obama-20100901-14l0r.html

[lurk]

It was an impressive moment in military history. On the other hand, it was a waste of money, men and hardware.