http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ivan-eland/desert-storm-anniversary_b_8954216.html

Ivan Eland  Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Peace & Liberty, The Independent Institute

Desert Storm Anniversary Reminds Us that Even Victorious Wars Are Problematic

Posted: 01/11/2016

January 17 is the 25th anniversary of the beginning of Desert Storm -- George H. W. Bush's first Gulf War against Saddam Hussein's Iraq to liberate Kuwait from his clutches, only to return it to its previous despotic rulers. The victory appeared to be smashing, as American military propaganda dazzled the world with footage of the accurate strikes against Iraqi targets, even though only a small percentage of the coalition's weapons were precision-guided. Saddam's third-rate army was blasted in half and had to retreat from Kuwait, and his air force either was impaired or had to fly to Iran to escape the reach of the American superpower. Saddam's power was broken and he was no longer an offensive threat to his neighbors. Yet care should be taken when conducting such wars of choice -- for even victorious ones can have a long trail of adverse unintended consequences.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ivan-eland/desert-storm-anniversary_b_8954216.html