1 00:00:13,910 --> 00:00:22,529 in 1991 a small arab state of kuwait was 2 00:00:19,470 --> 00:00:25,609 at the center of the last major wall of 3 00:00:22,529 --> 00:00:25,609 the 20th century 4 00:00:27,070 --> 00:00:32,960 Saddam Hussein's Iraq had invaded Kuwait 5 00:00:30,590 --> 00:00:34,690 putting nearly half the world's oil 6 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:37,850 within his reach 7 00:00:34,690 --> 00:00:40,210 virtually everyone agreed he had to be 8 00:00:37,850 --> 00:00:40,210 stopped 9 00:00:43,990 --> 00:00:49,840 over 1 million troops faced each other 10 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:52,030 across the battlefield revolutionary new 11 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:53,920 technology like stealth bombers cruise 12 00:00:52,030 --> 00:00:56,380 missiles and precision guided bombs 13 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:59,970 would make this a battle unlike anything 14 00:00:56,380 --> 00:00:59,970 anyone had seen before 15 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,070 I'll be getting to grips with some of 16 00:01:07,300 --> 00:01:11,500 the challenges faced by the men and 17 00:01:09,070 --> 00:01:15,220 women on the frontline in this new era 18 00:01:11,500 --> 00:01:18,400 of warfare and I'll show how the 19 00:01:15,220 --> 00:01:21,000 commander's chose their tactics in a war 20 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:24,490 dominated by cutting-edge technology and 21 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:26,560 ruthless political calculation with his 22 00:01:24,490 --> 00:01:28,900 seizure of Kuwait Saddam Hussein 23 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:31,270 threatened to hold the whole world to 24 00:01:28,900 --> 00:01:33,220 ransom he warned that the fight that 25 00:01:31,270 --> 00:01:36,190 would follow would be the mother of all 26 00:01:33,220 --> 00:01:38,920 battles everything would now depend on 27 00:01:36,190 --> 00:01:42,510 the outcome of Operation Desert Storm a 28 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,510 battle for Kuwait 29 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:11,490 in the early hours of August the 2nd 30 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:14,250 1990 Iraq's army shocked the world by 31 00:02:11,490 --> 00:02:15,960 invading its neighbor Kuwait they 32 00:02:14,250 --> 00:02:18,060 smashed through the defenses on the 33 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:21,920 border and headed straight down this 34 00:02:18,060 --> 00:02:21,920 road towards the capital Kuwait City 35 00:02:24,290 --> 00:02:31,090 great tiny army was unable to mount any 36 00:02:27,709 --> 00:02:31,090 serious resistance 37 00:02:38,940 --> 00:02:44,880 thousands of Iraqi troops were soon 38 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,880 swarming through the capital 39 00:02:48,410 --> 00:02:54,410 at around 4:30 a.m. just hours after the 40 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,630 start of the invasion Iraqi troops 41 00:02:54,410 --> 00:02:58,730 arrived here at the Parliament building 42 00:02:56,630 --> 00:03:00,530 the guards were taken completely by 43 00:02:58,730 --> 00:03:04,780 surprise and within minutes 44 00:03:00,530 --> 00:03:04,780 Kuwait's parliament had been captured 45 00:03:05,060 --> 00:03:10,400 the ruler of Kuwait be Emir along with 46 00:03:08,270 --> 00:03:13,400 most of the royal princes abandoned 47 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:15,950 their palaces and fled by the end of the 48 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:18,950 day the entire country of Kuwait was 49 00:03:15,950 --> 00:03:20,959 completely overrun as thousands of Iraqi 50 00:03:18,950 --> 00:03:23,630 troops continued to pour across the 51 00:03:20,959 --> 00:03:34,280 border and they were all obeying the 52 00:03:23,630 --> 00:03:37,459 orders of one man Saddam Hussein Saddam 53 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:40,790 Hussein was the president of Iraq and a 54 00:03:37,459 --> 00:03:43,910 brutal dictator for 11 years he had 55 00:03:40,790 --> 00:03:49,550 enforced a violent regime that murdered 56 00:03:43,910 --> 00:03:52,069 and tortured without hesitation he'd 57 00:03:49,550 --> 00:03:56,930 built up the fourth largest army in the 58 00:03:52,069 --> 00:04:02,540 world with over a million troops but his 59 00:03:56,930 --> 00:04:04,580 regime was in serious trouble not least 60 00:04:02,540 --> 00:04:06,680 because an eight-year war with his 61 00:04:04,580 --> 00:04:09,970 neighbor Iran had left him with a 62 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,970 mountain of debt 63 00:04:13,070 --> 00:04:19,410 Iraq was bankrupted Saddam had to come 64 00:04:17,340 --> 00:04:22,260 up with a solution to his cash crisis 65 00:04:19,410 --> 00:04:27,470 and it lay across the border here in 66 00:04:22,260 --> 00:04:31,920 Kuwait this is Iraq and here is kuwait 67 00:04:27,470 --> 00:04:34,830 kuwait is almost floating on oil outside 68 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:37,650 the capital kuwait city oil wells cover 69 00:04:34,830 --> 00:04:41,330 much of the country to the north there 70 00:04:37,650 --> 00:04:41,330 are oil fields on the border with Iraq 71 00:04:41,870 --> 00:04:48,320 here in the center the Borgen oil field 72 00:04:45,300 --> 00:04:51,720 is the second largest in the world 73 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:54,510 altogether Kuwait held 10% of the 74 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:57,810 world's oil and it was this vast wealth 75 00:04:54,510 --> 00:05:00,270 that Saddam had captured together with 76 00:04:57,810 --> 00:05:03,960 the Iraqi oil fields that Saddam already 77 00:05:00,270 --> 00:05:07,460 owned he now had control of over 1/5 of 78 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,460 the world's oil reserves 79 00:05:10,730 --> 00:05:15,630 Saddam gambled that Western leaders did 80 00:05:13,980 --> 00:05:17,610 not have the stomach for a Middle East 81 00:05:15,630 --> 00:05:20,730 war and would have to accept his 82 00:05:17,610 --> 00:05:25,050 occupation of Kuwait but he was in for a 83 00:05:20,730 --> 00:05:27,900 rude shock this will not stand this will 84 00:05:25,050 --> 00:05:30,060 not stand this aggression against Kuwait 85 00:05:27,900 --> 00:05:33,090 what has happened is a total violation 86 00:05:30,060 --> 00:05:36,120 of international law please raise their 87 00:05:33,090 --> 00:05:38,700 hand the United Nations condemned the 88 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:42,630 invasion and call answer damn to 89 00:05:38,700 --> 00:05:44,820 withdraw his troops from Kuwait but far 90 00:05:42,630 --> 00:05:48,110 from withdrawing there were signs of he 91 00:05:44,820 --> 00:05:51,180 might be planning something even bigger 92 00:05:48,110 --> 00:05:55,050 thousands of Iraqi reinforcements were 93 00:05:51,180 --> 00:05:58,790 moving into Kuwait some set up defensive 94 00:05:55,050 --> 00:05:58,790 positions along the coastline 95 00:05:59,150 --> 00:06:04,100 but most worrying for global leaders was 96 00:06:02,210 --> 00:06:06,800 the large number of troops and tanks 97 00:06:04,100 --> 00:06:10,160 driving right down through the country 98 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:13,960 and massing on its southern border the 99 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,960 question was would they stop there 100 00:06:15,610 --> 00:06:21,170 200 miles south of the border was the 101 00:06:18,530 --> 00:06:27,010 richest concentration of oil wells in 102 00:06:21,170 --> 00:06:30,860 the world the oil fields of Saudi Arabia 103 00:06:27,010 --> 00:06:33,200 the Saudi army was small if Saddam chose 104 00:06:30,860 --> 00:06:38,060 to attack now there was nothing to stop 105 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:40,550 him if he sees Saudi Arabia's wells he 106 00:06:38,060 --> 00:06:45,200 would control nearly half the world's 107 00:06:40,550 --> 00:06:47,210 oil President Bush Senior and British 108 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:49,820 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher where 109 00:06:47,210 --> 00:06:51,710 did Chairman to stop him they were 110 00:06:49,820 --> 00:06:54,830 convinced that the only way to protect 111 00:06:51,710 --> 00:06:58,490 Saudi Arabia and his oil was to put US 112 00:06:54,830 --> 00:07:02,080 and British troops in on the ground but 113 00:06:58,490 --> 00:07:02,080 there was a huge problem 114 00:07:04,630 --> 00:07:08,200 Saudi Arabia is the spiritual home of 115 00:07:07,510 --> 00:07:10,420 Islam 116 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:13,090 it contains the cities of Mecca and 117 00:07:10,420 --> 00:07:15,120 Medina the most holy sites in the Muslim 118 00:07:13,090 --> 00:07:15,120 world 119 00:07:16,259 --> 00:07:21,729 it's royal family ran the country 120 00:07:18,909 --> 00:07:24,129 according to strict Islamic laws any 121 00:07:21,729 --> 00:07:26,110 attempt to fly in tens of thousands of 122 00:07:24,129 --> 00:07:28,029 troops from the non-muslim armies of 123 00:07:26,110 --> 00:07:39,489 Britain and America was a political 124 00:07:28,029 --> 00:07:42,099 minefield on August the 6th 1998 just 125 00:07:39,489 --> 00:07:45,339 four days after Iraq had invaded Kuwait 126 00:07:42,099 --> 00:07:48,999 a top ranked White House team flew to 127 00:07:45,339 --> 00:07:51,309 Saudi Arabia to meet King Fahd they 128 00:07:48,999 --> 00:07:56,349 offered to fly in thousands of US troops 129 00:07:51,309 --> 00:07:59,080 to defend the kingdom King Fahad knew 130 00:07:56,349 --> 00:08:02,169 his meager forces couldn't stop Saddam 131 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:04,209 Hussein if he chose to invade so despite 132 00:08:02,169 --> 00:08:06,849 the risk of huge anger from devout 133 00:08:04,209 --> 00:08:10,949 Muslims he immediately gave the 134 00:08:06,849 --> 00:08:10,949 Americans the invitation they wanted 135 00:08:15,380 --> 00:08:19,260 within hours 136 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:23,540 one of the biggest deployments of croup 137 00:08:19,260 --> 00:08:23,540 since world war ii was underway 138 00:08:31,589 --> 00:08:38,500 more than 250,000 American and British 139 00:08:35,769 --> 00:08:40,419 troops from bases in the US and Europe 140 00:08:38,500 --> 00:08:42,750 headed for the deserts of the Middle 141 00:08:40,419 --> 00:08:42,750 East 142 00:08:49,350 --> 00:08:53,730 the Americans and British were 143 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,860 determined that their stand against 144 00:08:53,730 --> 00:08:59,010 Saddam Hussein should be seen as an 145 00:08:55,860 --> 00:09:03,470 international operation and not as an 146 00:08:59,010 --> 00:09:03,470 american-led attack on an Arab country 147 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:10,400 in the coming months troops from over 30 148 00:09:08,630 --> 00:09:13,310 countries would take their place 149 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:16,910 alongside the Americans and British in 150 00:09:13,310 --> 00:09:19,340 the Saudi Arabian desert it was an 151 00:09:16,910 --> 00:09:22,010 extraordinary coalition that even 152 00:09:19,340 --> 00:09:24,770 included several Arab states like Egypt 153 00:09:22,010 --> 00:09:27,620 and Syria but it was the Americans that 154 00:09:24,770 --> 00:09:32,300 dominated man in charge was called 155 00:09:27,620 --> 00:09:36,320 general Norman Schwarzkopf he was a 156 00:09:32,300 --> 00:09:39,470 giant of a man with a keen intellect he 157 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:41,570 also had a fiery temper and he set the 158 00:09:39,470 --> 00:09:44,360 tone with one of his first public 159 00:09:41,570 --> 00:09:47,089 comments about Saddam Hussein that he 160 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,589 dares he dares come across that border 161 00:09:47,089 --> 00:09:50,750 and come down here I'm completely 162 00:09:48,589 --> 00:09:52,940 confident and we're gonna kick his butt 163 00:09:50,750 --> 00:09:55,730 when he gets here Schwarzkopf was a 164 00:09:52,940 --> 00:09:58,540 tough Joker but he knew he faced a 165 00:09:55,730 --> 00:09:58,540 mammoth task 166 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:20,360 many of the troops have been trained to 167 00:10:18,830 --> 00:10:23,480 go into battle on the green rolling 168 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:26,540 hills of Europe they arrived to find a 169 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:28,190 scorched barren desert like this one it 170 00:10:26,540 --> 00:10:32,050 was a place few of them had ever 171 00:10:28,190 --> 00:10:32,050 imagined they'd have to fight over 172 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:45,270 the sand clogged their engines they got 173 00:10:42,990 --> 00:10:46,860 in their food and no one was even sure 174 00:10:45,270 --> 00:10:50,810 it was stable enough to take the way to 175 00:10:46,860 --> 00:10:50,810 the big American combat vehicles 176 00:10:56,230 --> 00:11:00,520 but the biggest problem by far was 177 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:04,030 making sure the Western troops did not 178 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:06,520 offend their Muslim hosts even 179 00:11:04,030 --> 00:11:08,400 apparently innocent behavior like female 180 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:11,230 American troops wearing short sleeves 181 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:12,880 could cause huge offence in a country 182 00:11:11,230 --> 00:11:17,440 where women are expected to cover up 183 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:18,850 completely troops were issued with 184 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,330 instructions on how to behave 185 00:11:18,850 --> 00:11:24,010 appropriately in a devout Muslim country 186 00:11:21,330 --> 00:11:26,140 u.s. army chaplains were even renamed 187 00:11:24,010 --> 00:11:28,750 morale officer so as not to cause 188 00:11:26,140 --> 00:11:31,470 offence but it remained a fragile 189 00:11:28,750 --> 00:11:31,470 coexistence 190 00:11:36,950 --> 00:11:44,010 Araki attack on saudi arabia remained a 191 00:11:40,020 --> 00:11:45,660 constant fear for the coalition but it 192 00:11:44,010 --> 00:11:48,180 was the stories about the actions of 193 00:11:45,660 --> 00:11:52,260 Saddam's army inside Kuwait that 194 00:11:48,180 --> 00:11:55,020 outraged world opinion they brought a 195 00:11:52,260 --> 00:11:59,210 reign of terror to Kuwait including 196 00:11:55,020 --> 00:11:59,210 summary executions in the street 197 00:12:12,300 --> 00:12:18,880 saddam's men were looting shots houses 198 00:12:15,490 --> 00:12:20,560 and factories across the city torture 199 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:22,750 and punishment beatings became 200 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:26,110 commonplace as the Iraqis tried to crush 201 00:12:22,750 --> 00:12:27,820 any sign of Kuwaiti resistance some 202 00:12:26,110 --> 00:12:29,680 resistance fighters were even shot dead 203 00:12:27,820 --> 00:12:32,079 in front of their own families as a 204 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:34,410 warning to everybody else not to get 205 00:12:32,079 --> 00:12:34,410 involved 206 00:12:37,560 --> 00:12:42,339 Western civilians living in Kuwait and 207 00:12:39,910 --> 00:12:47,110 Iraq had been rounded up and taken to 208 00:12:42,339 --> 00:12:49,089 Baghdad as hostages Saddam appeared with 209 00:12:47,110 --> 00:12:50,829 some of them on television in a clumsy 210 00:12:49,089 --> 00:12:56,339 attempt to show that they were being 211 00:12:50,829 --> 00:12:59,800 treated well yes 212 00:12:56,339 --> 00:13:05,230 has he in one fender honey does Stewart 213 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:10,060 get his milk yes Stewart is meanwhile 214 00:13:05,230 --> 00:13:12,070 his grip on Kuwait was tightening so 215 00:13:10,060 --> 00:13:15,399 they were saying the turn Kuwait into a 216 00:13:12,070 --> 00:13:16,750 defensive fortress hundreds of thousands 217 00:13:15,399 --> 00:13:19,870 of Iraqi troops were in and around 218 00:13:16,750 --> 00:13:24,730 Kuwait many of them dug in down here on 219 00:13:19,870 --> 00:13:27,100 its southern border they'd built very 220 00:13:24,730 --> 00:13:29,800 heavily defended positions with grates 221 00:13:27,100 --> 00:13:34,420 and ramparts close to the frontier with 222 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:38,220 Saudi Arabia behind them was a second 223 00:13:34,420 --> 00:13:40,440 line of defense with thousands of troops 224 00:13:38,220 --> 00:13:43,530 and then about a hundred miles further 225 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:45,990 back just inside Iraq were Saddam's 226 00:13:43,530 --> 00:13:54,570 elite troops the Republican Guards 227 00:13:45,990 --> 00:13:57,240 waiting in reserve by November 1998 228 00:13:54,570 --> 00:13:59,880 world leaders had run out of patience 229 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:02,820 with Saddam although he hadn't attacked 230 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:11,310 Saudi Arabia he showed no signs of 231 00:14:02,820 --> 00:14:13,710 withdrawing from Kuwait so the UN 232 00:14:11,310 --> 00:14:16,400 Security Council passed a new resolution 233 00:14:13,710 --> 00:14:20,910 that changed the coalition's mission 234 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:25,890 dramatically 12 votes in favor two votes 235 00:14:20,910 --> 00:14:28,380 against one abstention no longer with 236 00:14:25,890 --> 00:14:31,710 the coalition just defend Saudi Arabia 237 00:14:28,380 --> 00:14:34,710 if Saddam's troops had not withdrawn 238 00:14:31,710 --> 00:14:38,990 from Kuwait in six weeks the Coalition 239 00:14:34,710 --> 00:14:43,690 will attack and force the Iraqis out 240 00:14:38,990 --> 00:14:43,690 the countdown to war had begun 241 00:14:45,180 --> 00:14:50,760 for the US military it was a daunting 242 00:14:48,090 --> 00:14:53,040 prospect they were haunted by the 243 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:55,950 memories of the United States last major 244 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:58,290 conflict and knew that they could not 245 00:14:55,950 --> 00:15:00,720 afford to make the same mistakes again 246 00:14:58,290 --> 00:15:03,330 if one American soldier has to go into 247 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:06,240 battle that soldier will have enough 248 00:15:03,330 --> 00:15:07,530 force behind him to win and then get out 249 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:16,110 as soon as possible 250 00:15:07,530 --> 00:15:18,180 this will not be another Vietnam but 251 00:15:16,110 --> 00:15:21,270 Saddam was determined that that was 252 00:15:18,180 --> 00:15:24,180 exactly what it would be he calculated 253 00:15:21,270 --> 00:15:26,070 that if the Americans attacked his best 254 00:15:24,180 --> 00:15:29,460 hope was to inflict massive casualties 255 00:15:26,070 --> 00:15:31,680 on the US troops Saddam believed that 256 00:15:29,460 --> 00:15:33,690 after the Vietnam War it was not 257 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:37,890 something the US public would tolerate 258 00:15:33,690 --> 00:15:42,620 and in 1998 he had the weapons to cause 259 00:15:37,890 --> 00:15:42,620 thousands of casualties in seconds 260 00:15:47,260 --> 00:15:52,750 just two years earlier in March 1988 the 261 00:15:50,830 --> 00:15:55,330 Iraqi army had attacked a Kurdish 262 00:15:52,750 --> 00:15:59,700 village in northern Iraq using a mixture 263 00:15:55,330 --> 00:15:59,700 of mustard gas and the nerve agent sarin 264 00:16:00,030 --> 00:16:05,110 five thousand people were killed and 265 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:07,440 thousands more suffered terrible 266 00:16:05,110 --> 00:16:07,440 injuries 267 00:16:11,130 --> 00:16:16,000 throughout the coalition every soldier 268 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:18,370 lived in fear of an Iraqi chemical 269 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,990 attack day after day they practiced the 270 00:16:18,370 --> 00:16:31,600 drills that would save their lives 271 00:16:19,990 --> 00:16:33,460 if nerve gas was used against them to 272 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,770 understand more about what this meant to 273 00:16:33,460 --> 00:16:46,900 the coalition troops I joined a British 274 00:16:35,770 --> 00:16:49,180 Army training exercise my job was to 275 00:16:46,900 --> 00:16:53,610 help unload equipment until the 276 00:16:49,180 --> 00:16:53,610 instructor launched a gas attack drill 277 00:17:07,829 --> 00:17:15,250 go go go nine seconds come on think 278 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:17,230 about the drills hi there's no world out 279 00:17:15,250 --> 00:17:19,540 if a soldier couldn't get their mask on 280 00:17:17,230 --> 00:17:23,440 this quickly in a real attack the gas 281 00:17:19,540 --> 00:17:26,020 could be lethal minute I then had to 282 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:29,640 carry on with my task exactly like the 283 00:17:26,020 --> 00:17:29,640 troops would in a combat situation 284 00:17:47,850 --> 00:17:50,850 understood 285 00:17:55,960 --> 00:18:03,550 come on but gas masks make it impossible 286 00:17:58,820 --> 00:18:03,550 to breathe properly as I was finding out 287 00:18:04,210 --> 00:18:08,170 I'm not going to hairiness 288 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:41,719 ah stand still 289 00:18:22,869 --> 00:18:46,489 unmask there's just no air in there at 290 00:18:41,719 --> 00:18:49,579 all and the idea fighting something like 291 00:18:46,489 --> 00:18:51,739 a battle under those conditions is 292 00:18:49,579 --> 00:18:52,789 absolutely unimaginable and that a lot 293 00:18:51,739 --> 00:18:54,889 harder than what I was just doing there 294 00:18:52,789 --> 00:18:58,729 those shuttle runs the idea of spending 295 00:18:54,889 --> 00:19:10,249 hours on hours in this getup charging 296 00:18:58,729 --> 00:19:14,299 across Hills is extraordinary but in 297 00:19:10,249 --> 00:19:16,369 1991 soldiers fear they really would 298 00:19:14,299 --> 00:19:20,749 have to fight while under chemical 299 00:19:16,369 --> 00:19:23,539 attack some of them were already 300 00:19:20,749 --> 00:19:27,430 suffering heat exhaustion just from 301 00:19:23,539 --> 00:19:29,960 wearing gas masks in training 302 00:19:27,430 --> 00:19:32,480 schwartz confer knew that if it came to 303 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:35,450 war the greatest threat to his troops 304 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:38,090 was iraq's chemical weapons and he also 305 00:19:35,450 --> 00:19:41,330 knew he would have to minimize American 306 00:19:38,090 --> 00:19:43,820 and coalition casualties the key would 307 00:19:41,330 --> 00:19:47,350 be to keep his grunt rupes out of the 308 00:19:43,820 --> 00:19:47,350 battle for as long as possible 309 00:19:59,749 --> 00:20:05,999 Schwartz coughs plan was to launch a 310 00:20:02,669 --> 00:20:08,249 colossal air attack on Iraq itself and 311 00:20:05,999 --> 00:20:10,369 all its forces on the ground to try and 312 00:20:08,249 --> 00:20:12,989 force Saddam's were banned and Kuwait 313 00:20:10,369 --> 00:20:13,529 but if this didn't persuade Saddam to 314 00:20:12,989 --> 00:20:15,509 leave 315 00:20:13,529 --> 00:20:17,519 Schwarzkopf knew that he would have to 316 00:20:15,509 --> 00:20:20,129 take a far more risky step 317 00:20:17,519 --> 00:20:22,769 he'd have to order his forces to fight 318 00:20:20,129 --> 00:20:24,839 their way into Kuwait and some of the 319 00:20:22,769 --> 00:20:29,070 experts predicted that this would cost 320 00:20:24,839 --> 00:20:30,869 thousands of American lives his strategy 321 00:20:29,070 --> 00:20:34,259 would call upon the full might of the 322 00:20:30,869 --> 00:20:35,450 United States Armed Forces more and more 323 00:20:34,259 --> 00:20:38,700 of the world's most sophisticated 324 00:20:35,450 --> 00:20:41,609 aircraft tanks and weapons were arriving 325 00:20:38,700 --> 00:20:44,789 in the Gulf and six American aircraft 326 00:20:41,609 --> 00:20:46,559 carriers with over 400 planes would be 327 00:20:44,789 --> 00:20:49,579 positioned within striking distance of 328 00:20:46,559 --> 00:20:49,579 Iraq and Kuwait 329 00:21:04,740 --> 00:21:12,330 one week before the UN deadline expired 330 00:21:09,230 --> 00:21:15,210 750,000 coalition troops waited on the 331 00:21:12,330 --> 00:21:17,429 battlefield as the politicians made one 332 00:21:15,210 --> 00:21:20,549 last attempt to find the diplomatic 333 00:21:17,429 --> 00:21:23,820 solution the US Secretary of State James 334 00:21:20,549 --> 00:21:28,649 Baker met Iraq's foreign minister Tariq 335 00:21:23,820 --> 00:21:31,140 Aziz in Geneva both men knew the tens or 336 00:21:28,649 --> 00:21:34,860 even hundreds of thousands of lives were 337 00:21:31,140 --> 00:21:37,610 at stake and James Baker warmed the 338 00:21:34,860 --> 00:21:40,620 Iraqis not to use chemical weapons 339 00:21:37,610 --> 00:21:46,110 reminding them that America had nuclear 340 00:21:40,620 --> 00:21:50,820 bombs but seven hours of talks ended in 341 00:21:46,110 --> 00:21:55,130 failure if Iraq should choose to 342 00:21:50,820 --> 00:21:57,960 continue its brutal occupation of Kuwait 343 00:21:55,130 --> 00:22:00,620 Iraq will be choosing a military 344 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:04,940 confrontation which it cannot win and 345 00:22:00,620 --> 00:22:07,980 which will have devastating consequences 346 00:22:04,940 --> 00:22:11,809 but Saddam remained as defiant as ever 347 00:22:07,980 --> 00:22:14,520 and promised his people a great victory 348 00:22:11,809 --> 00:22:17,669 he warned that the Americans depended 349 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:19,740 too much on technology he boasted that 350 00:22:17,669 --> 00:22:22,590 Iraq could rely on the bravery and 351 00:22:19,740 --> 00:22:26,159 experience of its soldiers their faith 352 00:22:22,590 --> 00:22:30,240 would defeat the enemy at midnight on 353 00:22:26,159 --> 00:22:33,690 January the 15th 1991 the UN deadline 354 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:37,409 expired across the world people watched 355 00:22:33,690 --> 00:22:41,929 and waited everybody knew it was just a 356 00:22:37,409 --> 00:22:41,929 matter of time before the war began 357 00:22:49,540 --> 00:22:56,390 in the early hours of January the 17th 358 00:22:52,630 --> 00:22:58,250 1991 hundreds of coalition aircraft took 359 00:22:56,390 --> 00:23:00,850 to the skies and headed for their 360 00:22:58,250 --> 00:23:00,850 targets 361 00:23:02,030 --> 00:23:09,090 Operation Desert Storm had begun British 362 00:23:06,870 --> 00:23:11,400 RAF pilots in low-flying Tornado 363 00:23:09,090 --> 00:23:15,330 aircraft carried bombs designed to 364 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:18,870 crater Iraqi runways the Americans first 365 00:23:15,330 --> 00:23:21,870 target was Iraq capital from the 366 00:23:18,870 --> 00:23:27,270 rooftops of Baghdad 3000 anti-aircraft 367 00:23:21,870 --> 00:23:29,460 guns fired into the night flying 368 00:23:27,270 --> 00:23:31,770 straight into this wall of fire for 369 00:23:29,460 --> 00:23:33,750 eight American bombers they were so 370 00:23:31,770 --> 00:23:40,799 sophisticated that the Saudis had 371 00:23:33,750 --> 00:23:43,799 nicknamed them ghosts the f-117 stealth 372 00:23:40,799 --> 00:23:47,970 bomber was designed to be invisible to 373 00:23:43,799 --> 00:23:53,340 radar but this was its first test in 374 00:23:47,970 --> 00:23:55,830 major combat the stealth first target 375 00:23:53,340 --> 00:24:02,100 was the main communications tower in 376 00:23:55,830 --> 00:24:04,110 Baghdad at exactly 3:00 a.m. the pilot 377 00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:07,130 in the lead aircraft pushed the button 378 00:24:04,110 --> 00:24:11,030 and a 2,000 pound laser-guided bomb 379 00:24:07,130 --> 00:24:11,030 descended on its target 380 00:24:18,010 --> 00:24:23,570 across the city the ground shook as 14 381 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:26,570 more bombs from other Stealth's hit 382 00:24:23,570 --> 00:24:30,650 their targets the aircraft turned for 383 00:24:26,570 --> 00:24:33,110 home cruise missiles launched from US 384 00:24:30,650 --> 00:24:38,140 warships knocked out the power stations 385 00:24:33,110 --> 00:24:38,140 and plunged the city into darkness 386 00:24:39,740 --> 00:24:45,470 the air campaign unleashed by the 387 00:24:42,860 --> 00:24:48,350 coalition against Saddam's Iraq was 388 00:24:45,470 --> 00:24:51,230 codenamed instant Thunder it was the 389 00:24:48,350 --> 00:24:54,890 most powerful and focused use of air 390 00:24:51,230 --> 00:24:55,429 power in the 20th century on the first 391 00:24:54,890 --> 00:24:57,110 night 392 00:24:55,429 --> 00:24:59,960 Karen ich an aircraft threw over a 393 00:24:57,110 --> 00:25:02,500 thousand sorties they hit power stations 394 00:24:59,960 --> 00:25:05,600 radar and communication networks 395 00:25:02,500 --> 00:25:08,899 airfields and chemical weapons facility 396 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:11,840 the aim was first to gain control of the 397 00:25:08,899 --> 00:25:14,360 skies above Kuwait and Iraq and destroy 398 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:19,330 sedan's ability to coordinate his forces 399 00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:19,330 and then to target the forces themselves 400 00:25:23,830 --> 00:25:28,490 guided in by laser a bomb launched from 401 00:25:26,809 --> 00:25:31,279 planes like these could explode within 402 00:25:28,490 --> 00:25:34,539 three meters of its target even from a 403 00:25:31,279 --> 00:25:34,539 range of seven miles 404 00:25:37,470 --> 00:25:43,230 the bombing campaign had badly damaged 405 00:25:40,590 --> 00:25:46,409 the Iraqi radar stations and gave rocky 406 00:25:43,230 --> 00:25:48,779 pilots little chance to respond rather 407 00:25:46,409 --> 00:25:50,460 than fly blind against the most 408 00:25:48,779 --> 00:25:51,269 sophisticated air force the world had 409 00:25:50,460 --> 00:25:53,549 ever seen 410 00:25:51,269 --> 00:25:56,460 most of them opted to leave their 411 00:25:53,549 --> 00:26:02,669 aircraft inside hardened hangars and try 412 00:25:56,460 --> 00:26:04,980 and sit it out throughout that night and 413 00:26:02,669 --> 00:26:07,620 into the following day American and 414 00:26:04,980 --> 00:26:10,919 coalition aircraft continued to attack 415 00:26:07,620 --> 00:26:17,580 Iraqi targets including Saddam Hussein's 416 00:26:10,919 --> 00:26:21,000 palaces Saddam Hussein was in fear for 417 00:26:17,580 --> 00:26:23,129 his life he moved between safe houses to 418 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:25,440 avoid the coalition attacks but in 419 00:26:23,129 --> 00:26:27,720 public he would not be cowed on Baghdad 420 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:30,960 radio he declared that the mother of all 421 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:33,360 battles had begun and in secret he 422 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:36,149 ordered his army to launch the weapon 423 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:41,970 that he hoped would blow the coalition 424 00:26:36,149 --> 00:26:45,169 apart its target was a country over 700 425 00:26:41,970 --> 00:26:45,169 miles from Kuwait 426 00:26:54,070 --> 00:27:02,010 at two em on January 18th 1991 air-raid 427 00:26:58,360 --> 00:27:02,010 sirens sounded across Israel 428 00:27:05,370 --> 00:27:11,309 they warned of a scud missile attack 429 00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:18,870 from Iraq heading for Tel Aviv Israel's 430 00:27:11,309 --> 00:27:21,450 biggest city moments later the first 431 00:27:18,870 --> 00:27:23,220 Scud hit this factory near a housing 432 00:27:21,450 --> 00:27:25,770 estate in a residential suburb of the 433 00:27:23,220 --> 00:27:27,900 city initial reports from the Israeli 434 00:27:25,770 --> 00:27:34,020 army suggested that Israel was under 435 00:27:27,900 --> 00:27:36,180 chemical attack in the confusion and 436 00:27:34,020 --> 00:27:37,350 panic people all over the city put on 437 00:27:36,180 --> 00:27:39,870 their gas masks 438 00:27:37,350 --> 00:27:44,130 some even injected themselves with the 439 00:27:39,870 --> 00:27:47,190 antidote to nerve gas Saddam Hussein's 440 00:27:44,130 --> 00:27:49,520 attack on Israel was an act of ruthless 441 00:27:47,190 --> 00:27:53,910 calculation 442 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:56,160 he hoped Israel would retaliate if it 443 00:27:53,910 --> 00:27:58,980 did Israel would then appear to be on 444 00:27:56,160 --> 00:28:03,059 the same side as the Arab nations in the 445 00:27:58,980 --> 00:28:05,130 coalition Saddam's hope was that the 446 00:28:03,059 --> 00:28:07,620 Arabs hatred of Israel would make this 447 00:28:05,130 --> 00:28:10,020 unthinkable for them they would withdraw 448 00:28:07,620 --> 00:28:12,920 from the coalition and the coalition 449 00:28:10,020 --> 00:28:12,920 would collapse 450 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:19,040 from Washington senior White House 451 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:22,930 officials called the Israeli defense 452 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:26,120 minister urging him to show restraint 453 00:28:22,930 --> 00:28:28,850 for hours the whole world held its 454 00:28:26,120 --> 00:28:33,170 breath waiting to see how the Israelis 455 00:28:28,850 --> 00:28:34,930 would respond eight scuds had been fired 456 00:28:33,170 --> 00:28:37,880 at Israel at night and by daybreak 457 00:28:34,930 --> 00:28:39,650 residents were still on alert but 458 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:41,960 reports of a chemical attack had turned 459 00:28:39,650 --> 00:28:44,090 out to be a false alarm and remarkably 460 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:49,040 nobody had been killed by any of the 461 00:28:44,090 --> 00:28:50,870 missiles under huge pressure from the 462 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:54,470 White House the Israeli Prime Minister 463 00:28:50,870 --> 00:28:59,000 Yitzhak Shamir agreed not to retaliate 464 00:28:54,470 --> 00:29:00,800 at least for the time being in return 465 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,810 the Americans promised to make the 466 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:06,140 destruction of the scud missile 467 00:29:02,810 --> 00:29:11,860 launchers inside Iraq their top military 468 00:29:06,140 --> 00:29:11,860 priority the Scud hunt was on 469 00:29:22,270 --> 00:29:25,970 coalition aircraft began flying around 470 00:29:25,130 --> 00:29:28,610 the clock 471 00:29:25,970 --> 00:29:31,550 searching thousands of square miles of 472 00:29:28,610 --> 00:29:34,640 empty desert hoping to spot here acts 473 00:29:31,550 --> 00:29:38,240 estimated 20 mobile Scud launchers and 474 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:40,430 then destroy them for the American 475 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:43,670 commander general Schwarzkopf it was a 476 00:29:40,430 --> 00:29:45,350 tough challenge finding the mobile 477 00:29:43,670 --> 00:29:49,880 launchers is like finding a needle in a 478 00:29:45,350 --> 00:29:52,730 haystack as you can well imagine scuds 479 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:55,070 continued to hit Israel and Washington 480 00:29:52,730 --> 00:29:59,570 ordered Schwarzkopf to step up the 481 00:29:55,070 --> 00:30:02,000 search by the 24th of January 40% of the 482 00:29:59,570 --> 00:30:04,640 coalition's air sorties were diverted to 483 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:08,120 Scud hunting and Special Forces like 484 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:09,920 Britain's SAS were sent into Iraq to try 485 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:12,190 and destroy the launchers from the 486 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:12,190 ground 487 00:30:14,990 --> 00:30:20,330 the Scud attacks on Israel went on but 488 00:30:18,260 --> 00:30:24,130 still they fail to break up the 489 00:30:20,330 --> 00:30:24,130 coalition as Saddam Hope 490 00:30:26,580 --> 00:30:32,320 in a further attempt to weaken public 491 00:30:29,500 --> 00:30:34,780 support for the war British pilots John 492 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:37,180 Diggle and John Peters shot down on the 493 00:30:34,780 --> 00:30:39,100 first night were paraded on Iraqi 494 00:30:37,180 --> 00:30:41,260 television they had been tortured and 495 00:30:39,100 --> 00:30:42,970 were forced to denounce the war this war 496 00:30:41,260 --> 00:30:48,070 should be stopped so we can go home 497 00:30:42,970 --> 00:30:50,350 I do not agree on this roll through the 498 00:30:48,070 --> 00:30:53,140 pictures provoked condemnation across 499 00:30:50,350 --> 00:30:56,920 the world and only inflamed Western 500 00:30:53,140 --> 00:30:59,160 public opinion against Saddam so then 501 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:02,260 was unable to prevent the air campaign 502 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:04,630 systematically destroying his army so 503 00:31:02,260 --> 00:31:07,030 two weeks after the air war began he 504 00:31:04,630 --> 00:31:09,460 ordered an attack that would forced the 505 00:31:07,030 --> 00:31:12,750 Americans into the risky ground combat 506 00:31:09,460 --> 00:31:12,750 they wanted to avoid 507 00:31:23,260 --> 00:31:28,940 at around 8:30 p.m. yaki troops broke 508 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:31,460 cover from their positions here in 509 00:31:28,940 --> 00:31:38,179 Kuwait and headed down there towards the 510 00:31:31,460 --> 00:31:40,179 Saudi border their movement was watched 511 00:31:38,179 --> 00:31:42,970 by an unmanned American spy plane 512 00:31:40,179 --> 00:31:46,010 feeding pictures back to its operator 513 00:31:42,970 --> 00:31:54,940 what do we have over crow let's see what 514 00:31:46,010 --> 00:31:54,940 they are is something here we go 515 00:31:57,850 --> 00:32:05,990 and twenty two hundred and fifty three 516 00:32:02,510 --> 00:32:08,720 hours they've crossed the run and Saudi 517 00:32:05,990 --> 00:32:10,490 Arabia King Fahd is gonna be pissed my 518 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:13,040 baby's gonna be pissed is it gonna be 519 00:32:10,490 --> 00:32:15,260 hard the Coalition had complete control 520 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:17,630 of the skies over Kuwait but not a 521 00:32:15,260 --> 00:32:20,240 single aircraft was close enough to stop 522 00:32:17,630 --> 00:32:21,170 the Iraqis where's our air this is 523 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,090 ridiculous 524 00:32:21,170 --> 00:32:25,930 fricking bomber couldn't ask for any 525 00:32:23,090 --> 00:32:28,520 better target now 526 00:32:25,930 --> 00:32:31,070 the Iraqis took the coalition by 527 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:33,890 surprise they met little resistance and 528 00:32:31,070 --> 00:32:47,780 seized the Saudi town of calf gee about 529 00:32:33,890 --> 00:32:50,600 10 miles down the road troops from 530 00:32:47,780 --> 00:32:52,310 America Qatar and Saudi Arabia now had 531 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:55,000 to fight their way into the city to 532 00:32:52,310 --> 00:32:55,000 regain control 533 00:32:55,240 --> 00:33:01,620 my office mr. Oscar down rain take that 534 00:32:59,140 --> 00:33:01,620 bad boy off 535 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:13,060 and when air support finally arrived 536 00:33:10,690 --> 00:33:15,820 they had a decisive advantage I 537 00:33:13,060 --> 00:33:17,770 certainly would not want to be an Iraqi 538 00:33:15,820 --> 00:33:21,420 truth of their aircraft are swarming 539 00:33:17,770 --> 00:33:21,420 over that battlefield like Mattson 540 00:33:22,339 --> 00:33:30,149 after two days of fighting coalition 541 00:33:25,619 --> 00:33:32,820 troops finally regained control an 542 00:33:30,149 --> 00:33:35,879 estimated 38 Iraqis were killed and 543 00:33:32,820 --> 00:33:39,029 hundreds more captured but the coalition 544 00:33:35,879 --> 00:33:41,849 had suffered two in their first taste of 545 00:33:39,029 --> 00:33:46,589 ground combat 43 coalition troops 546 00:33:41,849 --> 00:33:49,139 including 25 US Marines were killed for 547 00:33:46,589 --> 00:33:52,889 some it had been a sobering experience I 548 00:33:49,139 --> 00:33:54,809 never expected that kind of fear but you 549 00:33:52,889 --> 00:33:58,289 have to overcome it because if you don't 550 00:33:54,809 --> 00:34:02,099 overcome it it's just like being 551 00:33:58,289 --> 00:34:04,909 defeated without actually being killed 552 00:34:02,099 --> 00:34:04,909 or anything like that 553 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:15,530 but with kafshi back in coalition 554 00:34:12,830 --> 00:34:18,169 control world attention turned once 555 00:34:15,530 --> 00:34:21,100 again to the air campaign which was now 556 00:34:18,169 --> 00:34:21,100 in his fourth week 557 00:34:27,310 --> 00:34:32,000 television audiences across the world 558 00:34:29,540 --> 00:34:34,250 had become hooked on the extraordinary 559 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:40,129 footage being beamed into their homes 560 00:34:34,250 --> 00:34:43,760 around the clock it was all part of the 561 00:34:40,129 --> 00:34:46,310 public relations war after their 562 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:48,260 experiences in Vietnam American 563 00:34:46,310 --> 00:34:50,960 commanders knew that unfavorable 564 00:34:48,260 --> 00:34:53,929 coverage might damage public support for 565 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:57,700 the war so they carefully managed what 566 00:34:53,929 --> 00:34:57,700 was actually seen by the watching world 567 00:34:59,980 --> 00:35:04,900 flash kick that was an excellent 568 00:35:02,660 --> 00:35:04,900 question 569 00:35:07,869 --> 00:35:12,890 the American general who commands all 570 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:15,470 the Allied forces in the Gulf has said 571 00:35:12,890 --> 00:35:18,650 that Operation Desert Storm has been 572 00:35:15,470 --> 00:35:20,780 going according to plan the aim was to 573 00:35:18,650 --> 00:35:24,020 portray the war as clinical and 574 00:35:20,780 --> 00:35:26,900 bloodless with so-called smart bombs 575 00:35:24,020 --> 00:35:28,579 making surgical strikes I'm now going to 576 00:35:26,900 --> 00:35:31,550 show you a picture of the luckiest man 577 00:35:28,579 --> 00:35:35,869 in Iraq on this particular day keep your 578 00:35:31,550 --> 00:35:39,950 eye on the crosshairs right through the 579 00:35:35,869 --> 00:35:42,190 crosshairs and now in his rear view 580 00:35:39,950 --> 00:35:42,190 mirror 581 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:55,970 but the laughter was about to end in the 582 00:35:52,430 --> 00:35:57,980 early hours of February the 13th 1991 - 583 00:35:55,970 --> 00:36:00,230 stealth bombers flew towards the AL 584 00:35:57,980 --> 00:36:02,750 ámoreá bunker in the suburbs of 585 00:36:00,230 --> 00:36:05,680 Baghdad on what was supposed to be a 586 00:36:02,750 --> 00:36:09,200 routine mission 587 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:12,640 shortly after 4:30 a.m. they released 2 588 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:12,640 laser-guided bombs 589 00:36:14,050 --> 00:36:19,040 exactly as planned the bombs drop down a 590 00:36:16,670 --> 00:36:20,840 ventilation shaft and exploded deep 591 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:23,780 inside the bunker to maximize 592 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:41,750 destruction the trouble was it was 593 00:36:23,780 --> 00:36:45,430 packed with over 400 civilians hundreds 594 00:36:41,750 --> 00:36:48,320 had been killed many of them children 595 00:36:45,430 --> 00:36:49,370 pictures of the disaster were broadcast 596 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:56,170 around the world 597 00:36:49,370 --> 00:36:59,680 I lose my wife Mythili who is that man 598 00:36:56,170 --> 00:37:05,720 nobody on nobody cares something 599 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:07,870 something Musca it was a terrible 600 00:37:05,720 --> 00:37:07,870 mistake 601 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:13,460 coalition air planners had believed that 602 00:37:11,420 --> 00:37:20,330 the owl a Maria bunker was being used by 603 00:37:13,460 --> 00:37:22,790 Iraqi commanders not civilians these 604 00:37:20,330 --> 00:37:25,400 images of so many dead civilians and 605 00:37:22,790 --> 00:37:27,740 their distraught relatives shattered the 606 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:30,440 myth that this was a bloodless war and 607 00:37:27,740 --> 00:37:32,750 it forced short scoff to curtail the 608 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:36,670 bombing of Iraqi cities for fear of 609 00:37:32,750 --> 00:37:36,670 causing more civilian casualties 610 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:49,330 but the Iraqi army got no such reprieve 611 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:54,440 the air campaign had battered Iraqi 612 00:37:52,460 --> 00:37:57,230 targets for over a month and still 613 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:59,290 Saddam had not withdrawn his army from 614 00:37:57,230 --> 00:38:02,000 Kuwait 615 00:37:59,290 --> 00:38:04,369 Schwarzkopf new coalition ground troops 616 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:06,590 would soon have to drive them out and in 617 00:38:04,369 --> 00:38:10,990 preparation he intensified the 618 00:38:06,590 --> 00:38:10,990 airstrikes against the Iraqi frontline 619 00:38:16,970 --> 00:38:22,230 there was nothing smart about this 620 00:38:19,380 --> 00:38:24,150 bombardment old-fashioned planes like 621 00:38:22,230 --> 00:38:27,060 the giant b-52s that have flown over 622 00:38:24,150 --> 00:38:30,540 Vietnam dropped old-fashioned explosives 623 00:38:27,060 --> 00:38:32,430 and napalm on the Iraqi positions when a 624 00:38:30,540 --> 00:38:34,500 canister of napalm hit the ground it 625 00:38:32,430 --> 00:38:36,570 exploded in a mass of burning jelly 626 00:38:34,500 --> 00:38:38,670 which incinerated anything it touched 627 00:38:36,570 --> 00:38:42,240 and sucked the air out of everyone's 628 00:38:38,670 --> 00:38:43,650 lungs within 50 meters coalition Airmen 629 00:38:42,240 --> 00:38:46,020 through around-the-clock bombing 630 00:38:43,650 --> 00:38:47,850 missions attempting to destroy 50% of 631 00:38:46,020 --> 00:38:50,280 the Iraqi armor we've got to get ready 632 00:38:47,850 --> 00:38:51,930 for the ground troops going so we really 633 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:56,250 tried to hit a pause in order to clear 634 00:38:51,930 --> 00:38:59,160 it out for the ground troops we've sent 635 00:38:56,250 --> 00:39:00,600 out 50 100 500 bomb today some of them 636 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:04,370 were a thousand pounds apiece so it's 637 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:04,370 just unreal the gun is going out of here 638 00:39:15,410 --> 00:39:21,030 in retaliation for the coalition's 639 00:39:18,060 --> 00:39:23,460 continuous aerial bombardment Saddam 640 00:39:21,030 --> 00:39:25,970 Hussein unleashed a new kind of 641 00:39:23,460 --> 00:39:25,970 destruction 642 00:39:27,180 --> 00:39:34,130 he ordered the Iraqi army to blow up the 643 00:39:30,660 --> 00:39:34,130 oil fields of Kuwait 644 00:39:35,810 --> 00:39:41,120 it created scenes of apocalyptic 645 00:39:38,870 --> 00:39:43,160 devastation it looks like what I 646 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:46,420 envision hell would look like the 647 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:46,420 country of Kuwait is burning 648 00:39:46,660 --> 00:39:52,040 hundreds of wells were blown up sending 649 00:39:49,430 --> 00:39:54,790 a wall of flame and smoke thousands of 650 00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:54,790 feet into the air 651 00:39:56,640 --> 00:40:02,760 pipelines were ruptured storage tanks 652 00:39:59,670 --> 00:40:05,510 exploded and huge lakes of oil pooled in 653 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,510 the deserts and 654 00:40:08,140 --> 00:40:13,790 choking black clouds filled the air and 655 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:16,210 day turned to night as the smoke blocked 656 00:40:13,790 --> 00:40:16,210 out the Sun 657 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:34,870 this piece of environmental vandalism 658 00:40:33,070 --> 00:40:36,700 only increased the pressure on 659 00:40:34,870 --> 00:40:40,060 Schwarzkopf to launch the ground 660 00:40:36,700 --> 00:40:43,060 campaign his plan was a masterpiece of 661 00:40:40,060 --> 00:40:45,550 strategic deception the main attack 662 00:40:43,060 --> 00:40:51,820 would appear to come down here across 663 00:40:45,550 --> 00:40:53,860 Kuwait's southern border 40,000 American 664 00:40:51,820 --> 00:40:56,680 marines would thrust up into the Iraqi 665 00:40:53,860 --> 00:40:58,570 defenses alongside them 666 00:40:56,680 --> 00:41:00,940 troops from other coalition countries 667 00:40:58,570 --> 00:41:04,330 including large forces from Syria and 668 00:41:00,940 --> 00:41:06,400 Egypt their job was to make Saddam think 669 00:41:04,330 --> 00:41:09,880 they were just the start of a much 670 00:41:06,400 --> 00:41:12,550 larger attack from here in the South but 671 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:16,750 Schwarz cops named blow would come not 672 00:41:12,550 --> 00:41:19,270 from the south but from the west under 673 00:41:16,750 --> 00:41:23,320 the cover of the air war he had secretly 674 00:41:19,270 --> 00:41:27,970 shifted the bulk of his army 1,500 tanks 675 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:31,360 and nearly 300,000 men up to 300 miles 676 00:41:27,970 --> 00:41:32,020 off to the west to launch a giant left 677 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:35,230 book 678 00:41:32,020 --> 00:41:37,870 his main heavy tank force with Britain's 679 00:41:35,230 --> 00:41:39,640 men and tanks on their right flank were 680 00:41:37,870 --> 00:41:42,670 waiting for the signal to burst into 681 00:41:39,640 --> 00:41:45,670 Iraq and swing east into Saddam's 682 00:41:42,670 --> 00:41:48,090 Republican Guard divisions dug in on the 683 00:41:45,670 --> 00:41:51,310 Kuwait Iraq border 684 00:41:48,090 --> 00:41:53,770 Schwarzkopf men had a double mission to 685 00:41:51,310 --> 00:41:56,410 liberate Kuwait and to sow weaken the 686 00:41:53,770 --> 00:41:57,940 Republican Guard and the Iraqi army that 687 00:41:56,410 --> 00:42:02,530 they could never cause trouble in the 688 00:41:57,940 --> 00:42:06,840 area again on the 24th of February 1991 689 00:42:02,530 --> 00:42:06,840 the ground attack began 690 00:42:13,020 --> 00:42:18,040 out in the Gulf the big guns of the US 691 00:42:16,119 --> 00:42:21,960 warships began a massive artillery 692 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:21,960 barrage onto the Kuwaiti coastline 693 00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:38,020 but the real attack would come from the 694 00:42:35,330 --> 00:42:38,020 ground troops 695 00:42:47,090 --> 00:42:54,690 and the first to go in would be the US 696 00:42:51,330 --> 00:42:56,160 Marines this is Adam have fun get an 697 00:42:54,690 --> 00:42:59,310 American flag in this pack right here 698 00:42:56,160 --> 00:43:01,770 we're gonna raise him Kuwait the Marines 699 00:42:59,310 --> 00:43:03,840 had to bull those gaps in huge banks of 700 00:43:01,770 --> 00:43:06,890 sand like this one so the tanks in 701 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:06,890 artillery could advance 702 00:43:17,420 --> 00:43:23,109 as the first troops went in none of them 703 00:43:20,329 --> 00:43:23,109 knew what would happen 704 00:43:24,990 --> 00:43:29,460 the fear of a chemical attack was so 705 00:43:26,970 --> 00:43:33,559 great that the u.s. troops wore chemical 706 00:43:29,460 --> 00:43:33,559 protection suits and gas masks 707 00:43:35,930 --> 00:43:40,520 in front of them they expected vast 708 00:43:38,170 --> 00:43:42,430 minefields and tens of thousands of 709 00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:48,470 Iraqi troops in heavily defended 710 00:43:42,430 --> 00:43:50,450 entrenched positions coalition 711 00:43:48,470 --> 00:43:52,640 commanders expected the Marines to be 712 00:43:50,450 --> 00:43:55,369 able to penetrate just a few miles into 713 00:43:52,640 --> 00:43:57,650 the heavier rocky defenses with as many 714 00:43:55,369 --> 00:44:01,700 as one in three of the Marines being 715 00:43:57,650 --> 00:44:04,309 killed or injured but as the Marines 716 00:44:01,700 --> 00:44:07,160 crossed into Kuwait they were amazed at 717 00:44:04,309 --> 00:44:09,319 what happened everywhere Iraqi troops 718 00:44:07,160 --> 00:44:11,230 either abandoned their positions or were 719 00:44:09,319 --> 00:44:13,760 raising the white flag and surrender 720 00:44:11,230 --> 00:44:16,279 most of them were conscripts and off the 721 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:18,589 devastating five-week air bombardment 722 00:44:16,279 --> 00:44:20,809 they were sleep-deprived shell-shocked 723 00:44:18,589 --> 00:44:23,470 and dehydrated they were in no position 724 00:44:20,809 --> 00:44:23,470 to fight 725 00:44:40,620 --> 00:44:44,460 let's go get up here 726 00:44:46,829 --> 00:44:53,579 the Marines continued forward into 727 00:44:49,109 --> 00:44:55,709 Kuwait there was little resistance and 728 00:44:53,579 --> 00:45:01,019 nearly everywhere their progress was 729 00:44:55,709 --> 00:45:02,339 unopposed right now I feel sorry for the 730 00:45:01,019 --> 00:45:03,599 people that are remaining on the enemy 731 00:45:02,339 --> 00:45:09,359 side because we're gonna wipe them out 732 00:45:03,599 --> 00:45:12,089 just a matter of time the Marines were 733 00:45:09,359 --> 00:45:14,219 scoring a major success in their thrust 734 00:45:12,089 --> 00:45:17,459 up here into Kuwait almost too 735 00:45:14,219 --> 00:45:19,619 successful they and the Arab forces to 736 00:45:17,459 --> 00:45:22,799 the east and west of them were fast 737 00:45:19,619 --> 00:45:25,410 heading for Kuwait City there was now a 738 00:45:22,799 --> 00:45:28,979 risk that some of the cracky rocky units 739 00:45:25,410 --> 00:45:31,589 like the Republican Guard up here might 740 00:45:28,979 --> 00:45:34,529 retreat before Schwarzkopf's army could 741 00:45:31,589 --> 00:45:37,890 destroy them so he brought forward the 742 00:45:34,529 --> 00:45:40,229 timetable for his main attack he ordered 743 00:45:37,890 --> 00:45:43,380 his big left hook including Britain's 744 00:45:40,229 --> 00:45:44,249 tank force to go in 15 hours ahead of 745 00:45:43,380 --> 00:45:47,369 schedule 746 00:45:44,249 --> 00:45:49,349 the British word over Kuwait and the US 747 00:45:47,369 --> 00:45:51,650 tanks would head for the Republican 748 00:45:49,349 --> 00:45:51,650 Guard 749 00:46:00,160 --> 00:46:06,320 ten hours into the ground war at 2:30 750 00:46:03,470 --> 00:46:08,480 p.m. British and American troops began a 751 00:46:06,320 --> 00:46:12,130 massive artillery barrage on to the 752 00:46:08,480 --> 00:46:12,130 Iraqi positions in front of them 753 00:46:17,799 --> 00:46:23,950 one of their key weapons was the 754 00:46:20,299 --> 00:46:23,950 multiple launch rocket system 755 00:46:36,710 --> 00:46:43,290 as each of the rockets burst in the air 756 00:46:39,660 --> 00:46:45,510 above the Iraqis it scattered 644 757 00:46:43,290 --> 00:46:47,700 bomblets over them it was as if they 758 00:46:45,510 --> 00:46:50,340 were being showered by hand grenades in 759 00:46:47,700 --> 00:46:51,690 just over 30 minutes more than half a 760 00:46:50,340 --> 00:47:00,960 million of these bomblets 761 00:46:51,690 --> 00:47:04,320 landed on the iraqi troops as the 762 00:47:00,960 --> 00:47:07,740 artillery died down more than 150,000 763 00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:10,130 coalition troops and over 1,500 tanks 764 00:47:07,740 --> 00:47:12,840 began their advance 765 00:47:10,130 --> 00:47:15,360 Saddam knew he couldn't keep Kuwait much 766 00:47:12,840 --> 00:47:17,220 longer but he was still determined to 767 00:47:15,360 --> 00:47:24,150 show the Americans he had the capacity 768 00:47:17,220 --> 00:47:27,060 to hit them where it hurts he all of his 769 00:47:24,150 --> 00:47:30,560 troops inside Kuwait to counter-attack 770 00:47:27,060 --> 00:47:30,560 against the US Marines 771 00:47:36,349 --> 00:47:41,340 but they couldn't match the Americans 772 00:47:38,849 --> 00:47:45,320 firepower nor halt their relentless 773 00:47:41,340 --> 00:47:45,320 drive towards Kuwait City 774 00:47:46,290 --> 00:47:53,280 however Sedan still had one last sting 775 00:47:50,500 --> 00:47:53,280 in his tail 776 00:47:57,580 --> 00:48:03,770 Iraqi troops fired a scud missile 777 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:06,820 towards a coalition base in Dhahran 778 00:48:03,770 --> 00:48:06,820 Saudi Arabia 779 00:48:09,050 --> 00:48:14,490 the resulting explosion killed 28 780 00:48:12,330 --> 00:48:18,450 Americans and a hundred were left 781 00:48:14,490 --> 00:48:22,790 wounded there it was their biggest 782 00:48:18,450 --> 00:48:22,790 single loss in the war so far 783 00:48:28,010 --> 00:48:32,849 despite this incident the British and 784 00:48:30,720 --> 00:48:35,039 American troops had to keep up the speed 785 00:48:32,849 --> 00:48:37,380 of their advance Saddam's army was 786 00:48:35,039 --> 00:48:39,930 collapsing by the minute at every minute 787 00:48:37,380 --> 00:48:41,730 counted if Schwarzkopf was to be able to 788 00:48:39,930 --> 00:48:45,559 destroy the bulk of Iraq's military 789 00:48:41,730 --> 00:48:45,559 equipment before it escaped 790 00:48:49,130 --> 00:48:54,170 Schwartz coughs main arm of thrust had 791 00:48:51,829 --> 00:48:57,319 swept across a hundred miles of Iraqi 792 00:48:54,170 --> 00:49:01,009 desert west of Kuwait and closed in on 793 00:48:57,319 --> 00:49:04,069 Saddam's elite Republican Guard finally 794 00:49:01,009 --> 00:49:08,210 at 4:00 p.m. on the 26th of February 795 00:49:04,069 --> 00:49:09,950 they came face-to-face a gunner in one 796 00:49:08,210 --> 00:49:12,769 of the lead vehicle spotted a line of 797 00:49:09,950 --> 00:49:14,420 Iraqi tanks on the horizon the US tank 798 00:49:12,769 --> 00:49:16,579 commander realized that he was heading 799 00:49:14,420 --> 00:49:19,089 straight for a major Republican Guard 800 00:49:16,579 --> 00:49:19,089 position 801 00:49:20,569 --> 00:49:24,619 the gana in the lead American tank 802 00:49:22,729 --> 00:49:29,359 quickly fired off a shot at one of the 803 00:49:24,619 --> 00:49:31,160 Iraqi tanks seconds later the American 804 00:49:29,359 --> 00:49:33,919 commander watched as the shell landed 805 00:49:31,160 --> 00:49:36,349 directly on the target the Iraqi tank 806 00:49:33,919 --> 00:49:40,479 exploded throwing a man out through the 807 00:49:36,349 --> 00:49:40,479 hatch engulfed in a ball of flame 808 00:49:42,190 --> 00:49:47,590 within seconds the other American tanks 809 00:49:45,010 --> 00:49:50,260 had opened fire in just a few minutes 810 00:49:47,590 --> 00:49:52,740 the Republican Guards position had been 811 00:49:50,260 --> 00:49:52,740 obliterated 812 00:49:56,320 --> 00:50:01,910 the Iraqi tanks had been utterly 813 00:49:58,910 --> 00:50:02,900 outgunned the American tanks can score a 814 00:50:01,910 --> 00:50:06,560 hit on the move 815 00:50:02,900 --> 00:50:09,200 from over 2,000 meters away Iraqi tanks 816 00:50:06,560 --> 00:50:13,610 were only accurate below 1700 meters and 817 00:50:09,200 --> 00:50:16,430 they had to be stationed within a couple 818 00:50:13,610 --> 00:50:20,770 of hours over 50 Iraqi armored vehicles 819 00:50:16,430 --> 00:50:20,770 were destroyed with few American losses 820 00:50:22,520 --> 00:50:27,360 throughout the night the Americans 821 00:50:24,600 --> 00:50:28,950 pursued the Republican Guard by daybreak 822 00:50:27,360 --> 00:50:31,740 they'd smashed an entire division 823 00:50:28,950 --> 00:50:34,350 leaving over a hundred tanks and armored 824 00:50:31,740 --> 00:50:36,180 vehicles smoking on the battlefield the 825 00:50:34,350 --> 00:50:38,220 remaining Republican Guard divisions 826 00:50:36,180 --> 00:50:44,220 made a desperate retreat and the 827 00:50:38,220 --> 00:50:46,260 Americans continued to hunt them down it 828 00:50:44,220 --> 00:50:50,700 looked like the Americans now had the 829 00:50:46,260 --> 00:50:52,680 Republican Guard at their mercy but 830 00:50:50,700 --> 00:50:54,690 something had happened inside Kuwait 831 00:50:52,680 --> 00:51:02,400 that would help save them from 832 00:50:54,690 --> 00:51:05,430 destruction Iraqi troops had been 833 00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:11,370 fleeing from Kuwait City in any vehicle 834 00:51:05,430 --> 00:51:15,680 they could get their hands on American 835 00:51:11,370 --> 00:51:18,600 commanders were determined to stop them 836 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:23,040 it led to one of the most controversial 837 00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:25,950 episodes of the war using laser-guided 838 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:27,960 bombs pilots attacked Iraqi vehicles 839 00:51:25,950 --> 00:51:29,430 along a stretch of this road leading 840 00:51:27,960 --> 00:51:32,100 north from Kuwait City 841 00:51:29,430 --> 00:51:34,680 this created a roadblock and behind it 842 00:51:32,100 --> 00:51:38,040 hundreds of vehicles became trapped in a 843 00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:39,750 giant traffic jam this made them totally 844 00:51:38,040 --> 00:51:42,480 vulnerable to the American aircraft 845 00:51:39,750 --> 00:51:44,880 overhead some of them were so desperate 846 00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:47,240 to escape they drove off across the 847 00:51:44,880 --> 00:51:47,240 desert 848 00:51:49,300 --> 00:51:54,920 every available American aircraft was 849 00:51:52,250 --> 00:52:05,180 ordered into the attack with devastating 850 00:51:54,920 --> 00:52:07,790 results for the mile after mile charred 851 00:52:05,180 --> 00:52:10,099 vehicles and human corpses littered the 852 00:52:07,790 --> 00:52:16,940 desert and choked the two main roads 853 00:52:10,099 --> 00:52:20,270 going towards Iraq an estimated 2,000 854 00:52:16,940 --> 00:52:21,890 vehicles were destroyed only very few of 855 00:52:20,270 --> 00:52:25,069 them were tanks or armored personnel 856 00:52:21,890 --> 00:52:27,650 carriers most were civilian vehicles 857 00:52:25,069 --> 00:52:31,040 stolen by the Iraqi army as they fled 858 00:52:27,650 --> 00:52:33,980 Kuwait City nobody knows how many 859 00:52:31,040 --> 00:52:37,880 hundreds or thousands of Iraqis died in 860 00:52:33,980 --> 00:52:40,250 the attacks the American leadership 861 00:52:37,880 --> 00:52:42,260 realized that pictures like these would 862 00:52:40,250 --> 00:52:44,270 soon be on television around the world 863 00:52:42,260 --> 00:52:47,960 and they feared it would look like a 864 00:52:44,270 --> 00:52:51,940 massacre this would become a key factor 865 00:52:47,960 --> 00:52:51,940 in deciding when to end the war 866 00:52:56,660 --> 00:53:03,440 36 hours later coalition troops led by 867 00:53:00,380 --> 00:53:05,980 units from Kuwait's own army arrived in 868 00:53:03,440 --> 00:53:05,980 Kuwait City 869 00:53:17,280 --> 00:53:22,390 the street soon filled with vehicles as 870 00:53:20,260 --> 00:53:27,670 people celebrate at the end of the Iraqi 871 00:53:22,390 --> 00:53:31,050 occupation they're coming with will 872 00:53:27,670 --> 00:53:31,050 completely little boys 873 00:53:34,770 --> 00:53:40,090 alongside them on American troops 874 00:53:37,390 --> 00:53:41,590 greeted as heroes as liberators of a 875 00:53:40,090 --> 00:53:45,240 country that had been subjected to 876 00:53:41,590 --> 00:53:48,190 months of horror by the Iraqi regime 877 00:53:45,240 --> 00:53:55,510 they don't have any civilization they 878 00:53:48,190 --> 00:53:57,330 kill not by guns only by torturing they 879 00:53:55,510 --> 00:54:01,000 brought them over here in this place and 880 00:53:57,330 --> 00:54:04,060 they just shot them and kill them and 881 00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:10,990 left them for five days just like a 882 00:54:04,060 --> 00:54:12,610 garbage they want to put names are 883 00:54:10,990 --> 00:54:17,370 damned in my hand and they tell me to 884 00:54:12,610 --> 00:54:17,370 remember it even you our old men 885 00:54:26,730 --> 00:54:31,050 with the liberation of Kuwait the main 886 00:54:29,220 --> 00:54:33,420 political goal of the war had been 887 00:54:31,050 --> 00:54:36,720 achieved with the Republican Guard had 888 00:54:33,420 --> 00:54:39,329 not yet been destroyed however President 889 00:54:36,720 --> 00:54:41,490 Bush fear but continuing the bomber a 890 00:54:39,329 --> 00:54:43,770 treating enemy might give the impression 891 00:54:41,490 --> 00:54:49,290 that America was behaving like a bully 892 00:54:43,770 --> 00:54:54,240 and so on February 28 1991 Bush declared 893 00:54:49,290 --> 00:54:58,320 a ceasefire I am pleased to announce 894 00:54:54,240 --> 00:55:01,320 that exactly 100 hours since ground 895 00:54:58,320 --> 00:55:04,020 operations commenced and six weeks since 896 00:55:01,320 --> 00:55:07,530 the start of Operation Desert Storm all 897 00:55:04,020 --> 00:55:12,930 United States and coalition forces will 898 00:55:07,530 --> 00:55:16,640 suspend offensive combat operations the 899 00:55:12,930 --> 00:55:16,640 Gulf War was over 900 00:55:27,580 --> 00:55:33,220 within weeks tens of thousands of 901 00:55:30,700 --> 00:55:34,000 coalition troops began the long journey 902 00:55:33,220 --> 00:55:36,730 home 903 00:55:34,000 --> 00:55:38,980 all of them grateful that the mass 904 00:55:36,730 --> 00:55:41,700 casualties they fear had never 905 00:55:38,980 --> 00:55:41,700 materialized 906 00:55:48,870 --> 00:55:56,260 in total 248 coalition troops were 907 00:55:53,410 --> 00:55:59,650 killed far less than anyone had dared 908 00:55:56,260 --> 00:56:01,930 hope nobody knows how many Iraqis died 909 00:55:59,650 --> 00:56:06,060 though some estimates put the figure at 910 00:56:01,930 --> 00:56:08,500 over 30,000 including 3,000 civilians 911 00:56:06,060 --> 00:56:10,930 despite the pre-war fears of the 912 00:56:08,500 --> 00:56:13,720 coalition it had turned out to be one of 913 00:56:10,930 --> 00:56:15,930 the most one-sided battles in modern 914 00:56:13,720 --> 00:56:15,930 history 915 00:56:21,799 --> 00:56:28,009 Schwarzkopf and his men returned home to 916 00:56:25,109 --> 00:56:28,009 a hero's welcome 917 00:56:47,800 --> 00:56:52,430 the Allies could have chased Saddam all 918 00:56:50,360 --> 00:56:54,800 the way to Baghdad but they had no 919 00:56:52,430 --> 00:56:58,190 authority from the UN and no wish to 920 00:56:54,800 --> 00:57:00,680 become mired in Iraq instead they hoped 921 00:56:58,190 --> 00:57:03,040 that Saddam would now be too weak to be 922 00:57:00,680 --> 00:57:03,040 a threat 923 00:57:06,050 --> 00:57:12,020 but Saddam's regime did not crumble as 924 00:57:09,350 --> 00:57:14,060 the Americans hoped he crushed to 925 00:57:12,020 --> 00:57:17,390 uprisings that followed the end of the 926 00:57:14,060 --> 00:57:22,790 war and remained in power for another 12 927 00:57:17,390 --> 00:57:25,490 years several thousand US forces 928 00:57:22,790 --> 00:57:31,520 remained in Saudi Arabia to keep watch 929 00:57:25,490 --> 00:57:33,710 on Saddam's army Osama bin Laden has 930 00:57:31,520 --> 00:57:36,320 claimed that it was this presence of US 931 00:57:33,710 --> 00:57:39,260 troops in the Muslim holy land of Saudi 932 00:57:36,320 --> 00:57:41,600 Arabia that motivated him to launch a 933 00:57:39,260 --> 00:57:44,900 series of attacks against American 934 00:57:41,600 --> 00:57:51,230 interests this culminated in the events 935 00:57:44,900 --> 00:57:54,320 of September the 11th 2001 President 936 00:57:51,230 --> 00:57:56,570 Bush's son George W Bush was now in the 937 00:57:54,320 --> 00:57:59,360 White House and in response to the 9/11 938 00:57:56,570 --> 00:58:03,230 attacks he declared a global war on 939 00:57:59,360 --> 00:58:06,160 terror as part of this war he launched a 940 00:58:03,230 --> 00:58:09,590 US and British led invasion of Iraq in 941 00:58:06,160 --> 00:58:13,280 2003 which unstirred Saddam Hussein from 942 00:58:09,590 --> 00:58:15,350 power thousands of British and American 943 00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:18,560 troops remain in Iraq to this day 944 00:58:15,350 --> 00:58:22,660 dealing with the consequences no one 945 00:58:18,560 --> 00:58:22,660 knows when they will return home 946 00:58:33,500 --> 00:58:40,109 you can find out more about the Gulf War 947 00:58:36,240 --> 00:58:45,170 of 1991 in Dan's video podcast available 948 00:58:40,109 --> 00:58:48,660 online now at BBC Cote UK 949 00:58:45,170 --> 00:58:51,859 next night on BBC two Jack Dee hosting 950 00:58:48,660 --> 00:58:51,859 have I got news for you