Hollow Victory: A Contrary View of the Gulf War

In Hollow Victory, Iconoclastic Defense Analyst Jeffrey Record Targets The Conventional View Of The Gulf War Victory. In His Characteristically Provocative Style, He Answers Controversial Political, Military, And Strategic Questions Raised By The War And Its Aftermath, Among Them: Were The Un Economic Sanctions Ever Really Given A Chance To Work? Could The War Have Been Avoided Altogether? Why Were Assessments Of Iraqi Strengths And Weaknesses So Inaccurate? How Did The War's Operational Setting Contribute To Its Outcome? Could A Better General Than Saddam Hussein Have Derailed Operation Desert Storm? What Were The Relative Contributions Of Air, Ground, And Naval Power? Did Air Power Win The War? Were U.s. Military Planning And Operations Really Free Of Meddling By Civilian Authorities? Did The U.s. Armed Services Work Together Harmoniously? If You Thought You Understood What Happened In Desert Storm, Hollow Victory Will Challenge Your Conclusions. 1. Looking Back -- 2. Was War Avoidable? Iraqi Desperateness. Kuwaiti Recklessness. American Witlessness. Was Desert Storm Inevitable? -- 3. Sanctions, Force, And War Aims. Baghdad's Economic Vulnerabilities. Saddam's Stamina And Time's Perversity. Competing American Objectives -- 4. Gauging The Enemy. Prewar Assessments. Cultural Biases. Missing The Worst. Future Iraqs -- 5. The Strategic And Operational Setting. Iraq's Isolation. Saudi Arabia's Logistical Cornucopia. Secure Lines Of Communication. Saddam's Conventionality. Open Country. More And Better Forces. Time. Exchange Rates -- 6. Saddam As Generalissimo. Iraqi Incompetence And American Unpredictability. Thwarting Desert Storm -- 7. The Air War. An Airman's Paradise. Strategic Versus Tactical. Targeting The Iraqi Economy. Consequences. The Other Services -- 8. Of Presidents, Generals, And Service Rivalries. Advice Unsolicited And Given Not. Calling The War Off. Still The Squabbling Services -- 9. Lessons, Nonlessons, And Others' Lessons. Lessons Galore. What We Did Not Learn. Lessons Others Can Learn -- 10. Pyrrhic Triumph. Jeffrey Record. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 173-178) And Index.