January 17, 2001

For more information contact: Jeffrey Richelson: 703/684-8274

PRESS RELEASE

OPERATION DESERT STORM: TEN YEARS AFTER
NEW DOCUMENTS SHED LIGHT ON ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE,
STEALTH TECHNOLOGY AND SPACE SYSTEMS

Washington, D.C. -- During the early morning hours (Baghdad time) of January 17, 1991, the United States and its allies initiated Operation Desert Storm in accord with United Nations resolutions and U.S. government policy directives that authorized the use of force to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait.  The National Security Archive is today placing a collection of declassified and unclassified documents concerning Desert Storm on its web site.  The documents primarily focus on the intelligence, space support, Scud-hunting, and stealth (F-117A) elements of the conflict.

The documents provide information on:

possible Iraqi actions, including the attempted destruction of Kuwaiti oil fields, which a secret Presidential directive stipulated would lead the U.S. to seek and replace Saddam Hussein

 

lessons learned from the attempts to find and destroy Iraqi Scud missiles

 

the role of a variety of space systems, including the Defense Support Program launch detection satellites, in support of the ground and air wars

 

the debriefing of Iraqi emigres and defectors in support of targeting

 

how China's People's Liberation Army has responded to the lessons of Desert Storm.

Go to the Documents

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