InfoAnda - Two decades on from 'Desert Storm,' US set to leave Iraq

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Activists attack Japanese whalers with stink bombs | 27 December 2008
Sundance 2011 filmmakers face new reality | 21 January 2011
India stun England to reach Delhi Games hockey final | 13 October 2010

China says 31 dead, 82 trapped in mine explosion | 21 November 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Two decades on from 'Desert Storm,' US set to leave Iraq

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Africa Europe Latin America Middle East North America Two decades on from 'Desert Storm,' US set to leave Iraq AFP - Monday, August 2 Send IM Story Print Two decades on from 'Desert Storm,' US set to leave Iraq WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Twenty years ago, Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait, setting in motion US military action that is only now coming to a close, as American troops prepare to withdraw from Iraq. The ill-advised move by Saddam triggered a US-led response that quickly pushed his army out of Kuwait, followed by years of military tension culminating in the American invasion of Iraq seven years ago. The 1990-1991 Gulf war, dubbed "Operation Desert Storm," enjoyed wide international support, even among Arab countries, while the 2003 invasion stirred controversy and bitter opposition around the world. As Saddam's regime was left intact, the first conflict helped plant the seeds of the second, with far-reaching consequences for the balance of power in the Middle East. As the United States gradually withdraws from Iraq over the next year under a security pact, the US legacy in Iraq remains the subject of intense debate. Critics question if it was worth the terrible cost in human life and the damage done to Washington's image abroad. "On balance the costs of our policy have been very high -- higher than need be, perhaps higher than the benefits will warrant," said Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think-tank. "But there are indeed huge benefits and huge potential benefits," O'Hanlon said. With Saddam's regime toppled, the United States can look to Iraq as an ally, albeit still plagued by serious ethnic and sectarian divisions. Moreover, Washington no longer has to worry about a dangerous dictator in the region hostile to America and its allies. But former president George W. Bush's vision of a new democratic Iraq transforming the Middle East looks unrealistic and naive, said Stephen Biddle of the Council on Foreign Relations. The end of Saddam's dictatorship lifted the lid on a Pandora's box of tensions between Kurds and Arabs and Sunni and Shiite communities, he said. "I wonder whether the demonstration effect would be the opposite of what we hoped it would be," said Biddle. The best the United States can hope for is an Iraq that is "imperfect but stable," he said. In another unintended consequence, the removal of Saddam bolstered Washington's arch-foe Iran, with Tehran forging links with leading Shiite parties amid a political vacuum. For the American military, Iraq under Saddam preoccupied the top brass for two decades. The decisive victory in the first Gulf war came as a vindication, burying the ghosts of the Vietnam War as hi-tech weaponry quickly rolled over Iraqi forces. The Gulf war represented "the phoenix rising from the ashes of Vietnam," said David Johnson, a retired colonel and an analyst at the Rand Corporation. Although America's public faith in the US military was restored, success in 1991 may have contributed to the Bush administration's over-confidence before the 2003 invasion, with little thought given to what would follow the fall of Saddam's regime. As sectarian violence spiralled out of control in the years after the invasion, Bush sent in yet more US forces as commanders embraced a radically different approach, drawing on counter-insurgency doctrine that had been discarded after Vietnam. "It took a superpower within a millimeter of its capacity to get it under control," Biddle said. Fighting the war in Iraq required repeated combat tours for the all-volunteer US force, putting unprecedented strain on the armed forces. The war also drained resources from the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and as a candidate, Barack Obama called the Iraq conflict a dangerous distraction from the fight against Al-Qaeda and its associates. As US president, Obama inherited a security agreement with Baghdad that calls for all US forces to pull out by the end of 2011. He has ordered the force to draw down to 50,000 by September 1. It is too early to gauge the effect of the Iraq wars, though most analysts judge the 2003 invasion as an unnecessary disaster that permanently dented US influence, particularly among Islamic countries. Some experts, however, say any assessment has to take into account what might have evolved without the US intervention. According to Biddle, Saddam likely would have pursued nuclear weapons with relentless determination. "There is some reason to speculate that he would eventually have been in the same position that Iran is in now," suspected of being poised to secure atomic weapons, he said. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Fire kills 18 at S.African home for elderly AFP - 23 minutes ago US 2011 drawdown in Afghanistan 'limited': Gates AFP - 32 minutes ago UK-World Summary Reuters - 43 minutes ago Russia forest fires spread in record heatwave AFP - 53 minutes ago Five rockets fired towards Israeli resort of Eilat AFP - 57 minutes ago News Search Top Stories Space station drama as cooling system fails Cuba eyes more self-employment, not market reforms Palin to reporter-next-door: 'Get a life' Elite US cyber team courts hackers to fight terrorists Gulf residents fear being forgotten along with oil spill More Top Stories » Related Full Coverage War On TerrorGlobal fight against terrorism All Full Coverage » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended 'Overwhelming emotion' as Chelsea Clinton marries Calcium supplements linked to heart attacks: study Debate on death and taxes heats up as billionaires fall China, Vietnam, Iran win UNESCO heritage honours New BP boss off to Russia to mend fences: report More Most Viewed » Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beachgoers Argentine students crack three-decade-old murder mystery World's first full face transplant man appears on TV Paris Hilton caught with cannabis in handbag Calcium supplements linked to heart attacks: study More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos World Cup 2010 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Monday, 2 August 2010
Iraq civilian death toll almost doubles in July
French minister widens crime crackdown on foreigners
Saudi to ban BlackBerry messaging: company source
Iraq Shi'ite bloc rejects incumbent Maliki as PM
Paris negotiated to free French Sahara hostage: Qaeda
US-TECH Summary
Russia forest fires spread in record heatwave
US military chief admits to Iran attack plan
Iraq civilian death toll almost doubles in July |
Greek truckers end week-long strike
Random House sees e-book sales jumping: CEO
Dutch become 1st NATO member to quit Afghanistan
Dutch troops end their mission in Afghanistan |
Iraq Shi'ite bloc rejects incumbent Maliki as PM |
Taiwan's Tseng edges Hull for British Open golf title
WikiLeaks guilty, at least morally: U.S. defense chief
Round revenge: Italy names 'Miss Chubby' beauty queen
'Inception' lives dream to top box office for third week
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
DiCaprio king of box office for third weekend
Italian 'latin lover' falls flat with tourists: poll
Jazz man Jarreau leaves hospital in France
DiCaprio king of box office for third weekend |
Five rockets fired towards Israeli resort of Eilat
Russia forest fires spread in record heatwave
Over 1,000 killed as floods wreak havoc across Pakistan |
British campaigners in legal bid after US file leak
Foxconn restarts India plant after government go-ahead
Space station drama as cooling system fails
US 2011 drawdown in Afghanistan 'limited': Gates
Rockets hit Israel and Jordan ports; four hurt in Aqaba |
AT&T and Verizon plan mobile payment system: report
Blast in Gaza wounds 24 Palestinians
Cuba eyes more self-employment, not market reforms
Chechen Islamist to step down as 'Caucasus Emir'
Elite US cyber team courts hackers to fight terror
Suicide bomber kills four Afghan civilians: official |
Two years and $100 million buys winning cyber army
Suicide car bomb kills 5 kids in south Afghanistan
Chile senator to sponsor gay marriage bill |
Afghan defense minister confident on war strategy
Castro says Cuba will allow more self-employed |
Iraq Shi'ite bloc rejects incumbent Maliki as PM
Pro-Cantonese protesters scuffle with China police |
Palin to reporter-next-door: 'Get a life'
Dutch troops end their mission in Afghanistan |
Hackers crack high-tech locks
Elite US cyber team courts hackers to fight terrorists
Gulf residents fear being forgotten along with oil spill
Amazon looking to go 'mass market' with Kindle price cut
Dutch become 1st NATO member to quit Afghanistan
Russia forest fires spread in record heatwave
UAE to suspend key BlackBerry services
Report: N.Korea sought summit before warship sinking
Howcast, or 'How to Build a New Media Company'
Politics behind Delhi Games corruption claims: Aussie chief
Embattled Aussie PM pledges the 'real Julia'
Survivors lash out after Pakistan floods kill 1,100
BlackBerry users in UAE and Saudi may have services cut |
Fox: No "American Idol" announcement Monday
AT&T and Verizon plan mobile payment system: report |
Foxconn restarts India plant after government go-ahead |
Obama: Goals in Afghanistan attainable and modest
Malaysia's Anwar calls for end to trial over 'affair' claim
WikiLeaks guilty, at least morally
Two decades on from 'Desert Storm,' US set to leave Iraq
Fears for refugees as Myanmar election looms
Shovel loader rampage kills eight in China
New "Jersey Shore" soundtrack one big party mix
Miramax sale includes gnome cartoon, Aniston comedy
Muslim reality TV show eyes expansion
Japan maestro Ozawa readies comeback after cancer surgery
Dutch clinic helps alcoholics by "binding them with beer'
Yuan trading band 'appropriate' for now: PBOC official
Fox: No "American Idol" announcement Monday
Seoul shares at near 26-mth closing high on autos
Maura Tierney back on TV after breast cancer
China's manufacturing contracts in July: HSBC survey
NZ commodity prices fall in July
Australia election set for neck-and-neck finish
PAKISTAN
Mao's grandson gets army promotion: state media
Singer Alicia Keys weds Swizz Beatz |
Japan's NTT DoCoMo to buy US video software firm
China, Mexico, Pacific sites get World Heritage status
Seoul shares at near 26-mth closing high on autos
Maura Tierney back on TV after breast cancer |
Aussie golfer Appleby ends win drought after historic 59
S.Korea spotted buying dlrs to check won -dealers
New Jersey Shore soundtrack one big party mix |
Miramax sale includes gnome cartoon, Aniston comedy |
S.Korea T-bonds softer after solid July exports
Matthew Perry returning to TV as selfish jerk |
Korea Hot Stocks-Hyundai Motor shares hit new record high
Fox: No American Idol announcement Monday |
Muslim reality TV show eyes expansion |
Rockets hit Israel and Jordan resorts
Saudi company says told to ban BlackBerry services
Pakistan summons British envoy over PM remarks
China, Mexico, Pacific sites get World Heritage status
One dead as rockets hit Red Sea ports of Eilat, Aqaba
Abbas resists U.S. pressure for direct talks |
HSBC says net profit doubles to $6.76 bln
Jordan port hit by rocket, one killed, five hurt
Iran's Ahmadinejad calls for TV debate with Obama
U.N.'s Ban launches international Gaza flotilla probe |
US combat mission in Iraq to end on Aug 31: Obama
Blast in Gaza wounds 24 Palestinians |
Jordanian killed in Aqaba rocket attack: official
Israel fears Turks could pass its secrets to Iran |
Russia declares emergency as wildfires kill 34 |
Suicide car bomb kills 6 kids in south Afghanistan
Pakistan summons UK envoy over Cameron comments |
Nepal's Maoists seek crucial votes in race for PM
Garbage islands threaten China's Three Gorges dam |
China bridge collapse toll rises to 51 dead
China, Taiwan military trust 'long way off': media
Floods stir anger at Pakistan government response
US pledges N.Korea illicit fund crackdown
Authorities deny anti-Cantonese agenda after new protests
Australian woman lodges 33 million dollar sex claim
Ahmadinejad ready for Obama talks
Trash threatens to jam China's Three Gorges dam
Lindsay Lohan released from jail into rehab
Actress Lohan freed from jail: report
China's Geely signals new era for Volvo
Liverpool consider Chinese takeover: report
Foxconn 'opens assembly line in central China'
Microsoft's Office for Apple computers due in October |
Pakistani stocks down; rupee weakens; o/n rates up
AirAsia X to launch Seoul route in November
New car sales in Japan up 15 percent on-year
Taiwan's Yulon Motor gets nod for China plant
Lindsay Lohan released from jail into rehab |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01