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Lessons from the Bombing of Baghdad, 1991

(Independent-UK) - Lawrence Freedman It has become an article of faith in the U.S. Air Force that a well-designed air campaign can undermine an enemy state. Yet attacking buildings proved essentially irrelevant. The sources of the Iraqi regime's power lay in its networks of patronage and terror. In 1991, the Iraqis evacuated the relevant buildings of anything important, including key personnel, and moved into buildings normally used for more innocent pursuits. Saddam's well-developed survival instincts had him moving around the residential suburbs of Baghdad during the Allied bombing. Many of those who have done Saddam's bidding in the past will be looking anxiously for the right moment to jump ship. It would be best if they were to do so when coalition forces are close at hand. This would ensure that no power vacuum develops, public order can be maintained, and basic human needs met.
2003-03-24 00:00:00
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