The Success of Operation Desert Storm and Shield

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As a result of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2nd 1990, Operation Desert shield was implemented by the United States on August 7th. Trying to deter Iraq from advancing farther into the country the U.S. began staging troops, equipment and other supplies needed to sustain a military in war time. Moving resources by air and sea the American armed forces presence was made known in the region with resources being staged in the allied countries of Saudi Arabia These later we mobilized initiating operation Desert Storm on January 17th 1991 at 3am Arabia Time when the first tanks rolled across the Saudi border, this conflict would continue until the official cease fire would take effect on April 11th of the same year (Operation). During the 10 month time span of the Persian Gulf War I, Military Sealift Command had conducted the largest modern sealift operation of war materials of the American military. The ability for the United States to mobilize and sustain during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm displays America’s national security goals of forward power projection, maritime supremacy and the effective planning of their sealift strategy.
In past instances the ability to control forces outside of territorial borders has been difficult, and can still be a challenge at times. Getting information to where it is needed when it is needed was just as much of a problem in the 1990’s as well, but with the advent of technologies such as the satellite phone and the global positioning system, directing the military outside of The States had become easier than ever before. Forward power projection is the control of military forces outside of its territory, and during the Operation Desert Shield and Storm this was effectively displaye...

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... able to move a large amount of equipment from The States to the Persian Gulf. While achieving the Navy’s goals of forward power projection, commanding from a distance, maritime supremacy, controlling international shipping lanes, and strategic sealift, moving war materials and personal where it’s needed over the ocean when it’s needed.

Works Cited

"Military Sealift Command." MSC History. United States Navy, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.
"The Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm Timeline." Defense.gov News Article: The Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm Timeline. American Forces Press Service, 08 Aug. 2000. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.
Ronald, Rost F. Sealift in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm: 7 August 1990 to 17 February 1991. Rep. Alexandria: Center For Naval Analyses, 2003. Sealift in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Center For Naval Analyses. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.

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