Look at all the other divisions that were deployed here
The first units on site were used defensively, because they didn't have enough troops and equipment in place for an offense. It took WEEKS to get the tanks, etc., for the 24th to the ships in Savannah and then over to the Gulf.
When the ground war began, though, the 24th was definitely used offensively.
Well, let's look at your offensive versus defensive criteria. The 101st Airborne was one of the "defensive" units deployed, and was in-place by the end of October. It took a total of five months before there was enough force in place to shift from a defensive to an offensive posture - or, in other words, NOT MUCH DIFFERENT than what has happened now - and since the military is in worse shape now than it was in 1991, your theory kinda falls apart. Facts have that impact sometimes.