Our fathers lied
Article Abstract:
The war in Kosovo, Yugoslavia, was declared a victory for the US by Pres Bill Clinton, yet it raises the issue of just what kind of war was won by the NATO alliance. An evaluation of the events before, during and after the air strike at Kosovo indicates that the US and its allies failed to achieve their stated war aims. The Balkan region is more unstable than it was prior to the air strike, the readiness of the US armed forces is worse than it was before the war, and Serbia's Pres Milosevic remains in power in Yugoslavia, which is slowly disintegrating. The victory was not worth the cost. Writer Rudyard Kipling said 'Our fathers lied' in failing to reconcile his son's death in World War I with his nationalist ideals. This statement may aptly describe the Kosovo victory.
Publication Name: Marine Corps Gazette
Subject: Military and naval science
ISSN: 0025-3170
Year: 2000
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Hornets in Hungary
Article Abstract:
The more than 800-man Marine Aircraft Group 31-Forward (MAG-31/Fwd) was mobilized in Taszar, Hungary, to support NATO alliance combat operations against Yugoslavia on May 22, 1999. MAG-31/Fwd F/A-18D aircraft flew 597 missions totaling 1,491 flight hours and dropped 303,500 lbs of ordnance during a 31-day period. It was an extremely successful deployment for the force, and provided a number of valuable strategic, operational and tactical lessons which the Marine aviation community and, in a larger context, the Marine Corps, must address to improve its fighting ability in future conflicts.
Publication Name: Marine Corps Gazette
Subject: Military and naval science
ISSN: 0025-3170
Year: 2000
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Battle honors of the Marine amphibian, part 12: the Persian Gulf War, 1990-1991
Article Abstract:
The Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991 was to witness the continued tradition by the US of placing its tracked assault amphibious vehicles (AAVs) and in the forefront of the action. It was during this war that the US deployed its forces to defend Saudi Arabia in the defensive maneuver called Operation Desert Shield, which began on Aug 7, 1990. The added value of AAVs functioning as armored personnel carriers and mine clerance vehicles was reaffirmed during the subsequent ground offensive called Desert Storm.
Publication Name: Marine Corps Gazette
Subject: Military and naval science
ISSN: 0025-3170
Year: 2000
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