United States Involvement Military Strategy OUTLINEThesis: United States Military Strategy used for the Persian Gulf before, during and after the war was successful and reinforced the U.S. National Security Objectives.I. Military Strategy Equation:A. ShapeB. RespondC. Prepare NowII. National Security ObjectivesIII. Approaches to Military StrategyA. United StatesB. IraqIV. Military Strategic ConceptsUnited States Involvement in the Gulf War 1990-1991The U.S. involvement in the Gulf War achieved success through the military strategy that was used. The three elements of the military strategy equation were: Shape, Respond and Prepare Now. (BD 30, U.S. Military Strategy). Shaping the international environment of the “Gulf War Crisis” with diplomatic and political reasons was uniform. Among allies, especially among threatened allies, the ultimate military test was: will you show up when you say you will? In the post-cold war world, there is only one superpower. Like it or not, Superpower action or inaction when aggression occurs does set the tone for behavior. On August 2,1990 the Iraqi Dictator Saddam Hussein gambled that the Saudis and the rest of the world would tremble, and ignore the tiny emirate of Kuwait that had just been invaded. Saddam reasoned that the fragile Arab relations with the west (United States), weak Gulf Arab armies, the existence of Israel, and his own armies’ power would reduce resistance to political howls. There was the question of the United States itself. It had military might, but with the legacy of Vietnam, and the frustrating experience in Lebanon, and its dependence on oil…was the time right? Saddam seemed to think so (Bay 26). However; The United States immediate response to the Gulf crisis was sending Secretary of Defense Dick Cheneyto meet with Saudi King Fahd on August 6, 1990, four days after Iraqi soldiers invaded Kuwait. The Secretary of Defens...
