‘The Generals’ War’: A good history of the ’91 Gulf War, revisited 16 years later
I recently re-read The Generals’ War, a history of the 1991 Gulf War by Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor. I thought it was a good book when I read it the first time, when it was published 16 years ago, but now I think it is even better. I would say, just terrific. Their analyses ...
I recently re-read The Generals' War, a history of the 1991 Gulf War by Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor. I thought it was a good book when I read it the first time, when it was published 16 years ago, but now I think it is even better. I would say, just terrific.
I recently re-read The Generals’ War, a history of the 1991 Gulf War by Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor. I thought it was a good book when I read it the first time, when it was published 16 years ago, but now I think it is even better. I would say, just terrific.
Their analyses have been borne out by time, especially of the failings of General Norman Schwarzkopf — that his planning lacked imagination, that he didn’t appreciate the political implications of the Scud attacks on Israel (and so failed to consider in his planning whether to insert Special Operators to go after Scuds in western Iraq), that he and General Powell didn’t grasp the implications of the Khafji battle (which the authors say showed that Iraqi ground forces could be damaged considerably by air attacks), and so devised a war plan that backfired. Schwarzkopf wanted to use a Marine attack from the south to fix the Iraqis in Kuwait so they could be destroyed by Army forces attacking from the west. Instead, the Iraqi forces were so weakened by air attacks and desertion that the Marines pushed the Iraqis out, like a cork popping out of a bottle, and the Army arrived on the scene too late.
In a foreshadowing of the Iraq war in 2003, Schwarzkopf apparently gave no thought to the day after the war ended.
Sidenotes: I hadn’t realized how much I had forgotten about the ’91 war. Also, an odd sensation to be making a transition in the book I am writing from history I didn’t experience (World War II, Korea, Vietnam) to history I did.
More from Foreign Policy
Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.
The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense
If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.
Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War
Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.
How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.
Sign up for Morning Brief
Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter with what’s coming up around the world today. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
