Twenty years ago today, the Persian Gulf War started with a massive coalition aerial bombing campaign...over 100,000 sorties, dropping 88,500 tons of bombs, and widely destroying Iraqi military and civilian infrastructure.
Five hours after the first attacks, Iraq's state radio broadcast a voice identified as Saddam Hussein declaring that "The great duel, the mother of all battles has begun. The dawn of victory nears as this great showdown begins."
Iraq responded by launching eight Al Hussein missiles into Israel the next day. These missile attacks on Israel were to continue throughout the six weeks of the war.
The Israelis showed enormous restraint in the face of 230 people injured and the substantial fear of biological weapons. The Israelis did not retaliate at the request of the Americans.
This was the scariest moment of the war. It appeared that the coalition would collapse and the Americans would be surrounded by Arab forces unwilling to fight with us.
Miraculously the coaltion held but the political fallout from inviting US troops into Saudi Arabia would have far reaching consequences. The bombing of Khobar towers and possibly even the 9/11 attacks.
About Me
- Airborne_One
- My writing talent is just average but I have a fun story to tell! Once in a Blue Moon is the often action packed and humorous book about life in Saudi Arabia during the 1990-91 Gulf War. My journey is full of military adventure, cultural misunderstandings and falling in love with a guy who is completely off limits.
Hard to believe that it's been twenty years. Although who can forget Super Bowl XXV when the Bills lost because of a missed last second field goal! (The first of 4 lost Super Bowls for the Bills) We listened to it on AFN in the middle of the night.
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