Recent Military Actions
February 13th, 2012
RECENT MILITARY ACTIONS
GRENADA (1983)
The invasion of Grenada in late 1983 can be seen as a small part of the rivalry between the United States and Cuba during the Reagan years. A bloody coup in Grenada along with a perceived threat to American students on the island provided the United States with an excellent excuse to eliminate the Marxist regime allied to Fidel Castro’s Cuba.
[Cited: Lee, R. “Invasion of Grenada”. Copyright © 1998-2007 Roger A. Lee and History Guy Media; Last Modified: 05.10.07]
PERSIAN GULF WAR (1990-1991)
The first major conflict involving the United States since Vietnam proved to be a catharsis of sorts for the American military and public. Just as the Spanish American War of 1898 gave the nation a “short victorious war” following the angst of the Civil War, the Gulf War lifted the United States out of a self-conscious, post-Vietnam malaise. On August 2, 1990 Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait and quickly seized control of the small nation. Within days, the United States along with the United Nations, demanded Iraq’s immediate withdrawal. After negotians between Iraq failed, Allied forces began the devastating bombing of Iraq and her forces in Kuwait on January 16, 1991. On March 3, 1991, Iraq accepted the terms of the cease-fire and the fighting ended. The United States government’s code name for this conflict was “Operation Desert Storm.”
[Cited: Copyright © 1998-2007 Roger A. Lee and History Guy Media; Last Modified: 05.10.07]
IRAQ WAR (2003-10)
On March 19, 2003, American and British forces began the Third Persian Gulf War, a conflict which may become popularly known as “Gulf War 2” or the “Second Iraq War,” or some other designation. The United States government already calls this conflict “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” Regardless of what it is called, this conflict is by far the first truly major war of the 21st Century. While considered by many to be another part of the “War on Terror,” it is in many ways separate and unique in its own right. In scope of preparation and potential consequences, the new war in Iraq by far overshadows the earlier invasion of Afghanistan. On August 31, 2010 the Obama administration fulfilled their pledge to move from combat to stability operations in Iraq bringing the seven year conflict to a different stage in establishing peace.
[Cited: Lee, R. “The History Guy: The Third Persian Gulf War (2003). Copyright © 1998-2007 Roger A. Lee and History Guy Media; Last Modified: 11.15.10]
AFGHANISTAN WAR (2001-present)
On October 7, 2001, the US military’s Operation Enduring Freedom was launched along with the British military, in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. The UK has, since 2002, led its own military operation, Operation Herrick, as part of the same war in Afghanistan. The character of the war evolved from a violent struggle between US-led forces against Al-Qaeda and its Taliban supporters, to a complex counterinsurgency effort by US-led forces, against Afghans who claim to be trying to expel those US-led forces. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, the majority of whom have been civilians.
[Cited: Wikipedia; Last Modified: 11.15.10]
Last Modified: 08.29.11