Apache Pilots pick off Iraqi Army targets of opportunity near the beginning of Operation Desert Storm. This is why Saddam's Military fell so quickly in the early 90s.

Gulf War veterans tend to catch a bit of flack from GWoT Veterans because their conflict ended so quickly. It's all in jest, and we have nothing but respect for the Desert Shield and Desert Storm guys, but In comparison to the Global War on Terror, the entirety of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm was simply an eye blink. If you're wondering why that is, here's a quick down and dirty break-down.

The Iraqi Army was simply not prepared for the amount of air and ground power we brought down on top of them. In fact, the primary reason why Saddam's army wasn't completely crushed is because they were pushed back way too fast by the assaulting element. The intent was for the U.S. Marines to push the Iraqi Army back across phase-lines while the U.S. Army flanked behind them with armor to cut their retreat off. The Iraqi Army folded so quickly however that the U.S. Army, completely uncontested by anything except sand, wasn't able to get around behind the Iraqis before they were pushed all the way back out of Kuwait and into Iraq.

Things unfolded so quickly that even top U.S. Military commanders at the time were not prepared to capitalize and exploit the enemy. So, while Desert Storm did end quickly because of our superior air and ground combat teams, that does not diminish the amount of violence that was put on display during that conflict.

To all of our Desert Storm / Desert Shield veterans who are a part of this community, we appreciate you guys. Your assault against the Iraqi Army set the standard of violence for all future U.S. Military Operations, and helped prepare commanders for the reality of what is now considered Modern Warfare. Strong work gentlemen.