Use of the operational approach and elements of operational design for Desert Shield/Desert Storm
1. After Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, President Bush made clear that the invasion would not stand. His political policy statements identified four national strategic objectives:
1. Immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all Iraqi forces from Kuwait.
2. Restoration of Kuwait’s legitimate government.
3. Security and stability of Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.
4. Safety and protection of the lives of American citizens abroad.
Which one of the four national strategic objectives listed above best establish the military end state? Explain.
2. Using the information provided in the case study, what was General Schwarzkopf’s primary military problem or obstacle that had to be overcome to reach the military endstate? Explain your answer.
3. 3a. Justify the selection of the Republican Guard Force Command as an Iraqi operational COG. 3b. Conduct the critical factor analysis to support your justification. Explain your answer.
4. USCENTCOM planners identified the deployment and reception of US forces into theater as a key concern. Describe three specific challenges with the deployment and reception of US forces into theater, using information from the case study.
5. An Element of Operational Design is “Arranging Operations.” JP 5-0 states that this arrangement often combines simultaneous and sequential operations to reach the end state conditions. Describe and explain how “Arranging Operations” was applied in the campaign design from the case study.
6. Select two additional elements of operational design, (not described in previous answers) and explain how they were applied in the campaign design from the case study.
