Did Iraq expect a nuclear Desert Storm? Deterrence, paradigms, and operational culture in a weapons of mass destruction environment

Most of the Iraqi political leadership, military, and public were convinced that there was a strong likelihood the United States would employ nuclear weapons during Desert Storm. This study examines how a combination of existing paradigms, propaganda, military doctrine, and a misunderstanding of US military and political strategy combined to predispose Iraq to expect nuclear escalation, and the impact the perceived threat had on nuclear deterrence and on Iraq’s conduct of the Gulf War. The research is based on captured Iraqi political and military documents, as well as on the Iraqi media and interviews

Ancient history · Criminology · Desert (philosophy · Deterrence theory · Doctrine · Geography · Gulf war · Mass media · Meteorology · Military doctrine · Military strategy · Nuclear ethics · Nuclear warfare · Nuclear weapon · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Storm · History · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Law · Nuclear Issues and Defense

• Ending Cold War fears

  Matt Jones•Contemporary British History•2018

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