117-492: Persian Gulf War Global War on Terrorism The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II . The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America's Contingency Corps." Its headquarters are at Fort Liberty , North Carolina . Its command group includes: The corps
234-559: A Kuwaiti armored battalion, 35th Armoured Brigade , deployed them against the Iraqi attack and conducted a robust defense at the Battle of the Bridges near Al Jahra , west of Kuwait City. Kuwaiti aircraft scrambled to meet the invading force, but approximately 20% were lost or captured. A few combat sorties were flown against Iraqi ground forces. The main Iraqi thrust into Kuwait City
351-399: A cost-cutting measure—the same will occur to the divisional headquarters of the 82nd Airborne Division . This plan is designed to follow the U.S. Army's restructuring plan to go from being division-based to brigade-based. This will mean that the largest units that will be airborne – specifically parachute certified – will be at the brigade level. Even so, for traditional and historical reasons,
468-744: A dozen major operations (listed below) in both combat and humanitarian roles, primarily in Central America and the CENTCOM area of responsibility. In 1958 the XVIII Airborne Corps was given the additional mission of becoming the Strategic Army Corps . The corps was now tasked, in addition, to provide a flexible strike capability that could deploy worldwide, on short notice, without a declaration of an emergency. The 4th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis , Washington, and
585-459: A form of economic warfare, which it claimed was aggravated by Kuwait slant-drilling across the border into Iraq's Rumaila oil field . According to oil workers in the area, Iraq's slant drilling claim was fabricated, as "oil flows easily from the Rumaila field without any need for these techniques." At the same time, Saddam looked for closer ties with those Arab states that had supported Iraq in
702-652: A highly experienced airborne commander who had led the 82nd Airborne Division in Sicily , Italy and Normandy, was chosen to command the corps, which then consisted of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and was part of the newly created First Allied Airborne Army . The corps headquarters did not see service in Operation Market Garden , with the British I Airborne Corps being chosen instead to exercise operational command of all Allied airborne forces in
819-1003: A joint training exercise between the Republic of Korea Army and coalition forces stationed there. In mid-April, 2007, the Department of the Army confirmed the next OIF deployment schedule, with XVIII Airborne Corps deploying to relieve III Corps as the MNC-I at Camp Victory , Baghdad, Iraq. XVIII Airborne Corps is scheduled to replace III Corps in November, 2007. The corps will deploy along with 1st Armored Division and 4th Infantry Division , as well as 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division , and 1st BCT, 82nd Airborne Division. On 21 December 2016, Stars and Stripes reported that in August
936-547: A local armed resistance movement following the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait. The Kuwaiti resistance's [ ar ] casualty rate far exceeded that of the coalition military forces and Western hostages. The resistance predominantly consisted of ordinary citizens who lacked any form of training and supervision. A key element of US political, military and energy economic planning occurred in early 1984. The Iran–Iraq war had been going on for five years by that time and both sides sustained significant casualties, reaching into
1053-460: A massive air interdiction campaign, which prepared the theater for a coalition ground assault. The primary coalition objective, the liberation of Kuwait, was achieved on 27 February, and the next morning a ceasefire was declared, just one hundred hours after the commencement of the ground campaign. The end of formal hostilities did not bring the end of difficulties with Iraq. Operation Provide Comfort , implemented to provide humanitarian assistance to
1170-562: A no-fly zone south of the 32nd parallel. In January 1997, Operation Northern Watch replaced Provide Comfort, with a focus on enforcing the northern no-fly zone. Throughout the decade, CENTCOM carried out a string of operations – Vigilant Warrior , Vigilant Sentinel , Desert Strike , Desert Thunder (I and II), and Desert Fox – to try to coerce Saddam into greater compliance with U.S. wishes. The 1990s also brought significant challenges in Somalia as well as from
1287-736: A number of operations since then: Individuals who have commanded XVIII Airborne Corps include: Gulf War Coalition: 292 killed (147 killed by enemy action, 145 non-hostile deaths) 776 wounded (467 wounded in action) 31 tanks destroyed/disabled 28 Bradley IFVs destroyed/damaged 1 M113 APC destroyed 2 British Warrior APCs destroyed 1 artillery piece destroyed 75 aircraft destroyed Kuwait: 420 killed 12,000 captured ≈200 tanks destroyed/captured 850+ other armored vehicles destroyed/captured 57 aircraft lost 8 aircraft captured (Mirage F1s) Coalition intervention Naval operations Air campaign Liberation of Kuwait Post-ceasefire The Gulf War
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#17327944949811404-585: A part of the Ottoman Empire 's province of Basra , something that Iraq claimed made Kuwait rightful Iraqi territory. Kuwait's ruling dynasty, the al-Sabah family , had concluded a protectorate agreement in 1899 that assigned responsibility for Kuwait's foreign affairs to the United Kingdom. The UK drew the border between Kuwait and Iraq in 1922, making Iraq almost entirely landlocked. Kuwait rejected Iraqi attempts to secure further provisions in
1521-603: A request for Kuwait to lease Iraq Umm Qasr was rejected. Saudi-backed development projects were hampered by Iraq's large debts, even with the demobilization of 200,000 soldiers. Iraq also looked to increase arms production so as to become an exporter, although the success of these projects was also restrained by Iraq's obligations; in Iraq, resentment to OPEC's controls mounted. Iraq's relations with its Arab neighbors, particularly Egypt, were degraded by mounting violence in Iraq against expatriate groups, who were well-employed during
1638-544: A response to the October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan , and the large-scale evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon in 2006. On 1 October 2008, the Department of Defense transferred responsibility for Sudan , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Djibouti , Kenya, and Somalia to the newly established Africa Command. Egypt , home to Exercise Bright Star , the Department of Defense's largest reoccurring military exercise, remained in
1755-495: A strong air defense. Iraqi commandos infiltrated the Kuwaiti border first to prepare for the major units, which began the attack at midnight. The Iraqi attack had two prongs, with the primary attack force driving south straight for Kuwait City down the main highway, and a supporting attack force entering Kuwait farther west, but then turning and driving east, cutting off Kuwait City from the country's southern half. The commander of
1872-627: A successful counteroffensive ( Operation Undeniable Victory ), and the US increased its support for Iraq to prevent Iran from forcing a surrender. In a US bid to open full diplomatic relations with Iraq, the country was removed from the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. Ostensibly, this was because of improvement in the regime's record, although former US Assistant Defense Secretary Noel Koch later stated: "No one had any doubts about [the Iraqis'] continued involvement in terrorism ... The real reason
1989-685: A total Iraqi pullout from Kuwait, without any linkage to other Middle Eastern problems, accepting the British view that any concessions would strengthen Iraqi influence in the region for years to come. On 12 August 1990, Saddam "propose[d] that all cases of occupation, and those cases that have been portrayed as occupation, in the region, be resolved simultaneously". Specifically, he called for Israel to withdraw from occupied territories in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, Syria to withdraw from Lebanon, and "mutual withdrawals by Iraq and Iran and arrangement for
2106-528: A variable number of base locations depending on its level of operations. With ongoing warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003, the United States Air Force used 35 bases, while in 2006 it used 14, including four in Iraq. The United States Navy maintains one major base and one smaller installation, with extensive deployments afloat and ashore by U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard ships, aviation units and ground units. Two of
2223-568: A war against international terrorism. CENTCOM soon launched Operation Enduring Freedom to expel the Taliban government in Afghanistan, which was harboring Al Qaida terrorists and hosting terrorist training camps. Exercise Internal Look has been employed for explicit war planning on at least two occasions: Internal Look '90, which dealt with a threat from Iraq, and Internal Look '03, which was used to plan what became Operation Iraqi Freedom -
2340-448: A year, that Kuwait was still using the Rumaila oil field, and that loans made by the UAE and Kuwait could not be considered debts to its "Arab brothers". He threatened force against Kuwait and the UAE, saying: "The policies of some Arab rulers are American ... They are inspired by America to undermine Arab interests and security." The US sent aerial refuelling planes and combat ships to
2457-490: Is General Michael E. Kurilla , U.S. Army . Two of the last three United States Secretaries of Defense -- incumbent Lloyd Austin and James Mattis , both of whom required congressional waivers to be confirmed -- were recent CENTCOM commanders. Of all seven American regional unified combatant commands, CENTCOM is among four that are headquartered outside their area of operations (the other three being USAFRICOM , USSOUTHCOM , and USSPACECOM ). CENTCOM's main headquarters
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#17327944949812574-494: Is known as Joint Intelligence Center, Central Command, or JICCENT, which serves as a Joint Intelligence Center for the co-ordination of intelligence . Under the intelligence directorate, there are several divisions including the Afghanistan-Pakistan Center of Excellence . CENTCOM directs five "service component commands" and one subordinate unified command : * USCG Command that augments NAVCENT in
2691-732: Is located at MacDill Air Force Base , in Tampa, Florida . A forward headquarters was established in 2002 at Camp As Sayliyah in Doha, Qatar , which in 2009 transitioned to a forward headquarters at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar . In January 2021, Israel became the 21st country of the AOR, added to another 20 nations including Afghanistan , Bahrain , Egypt , Iran , Iraq , Jordan , Kazakhstan , Kuwait , Kyrgyzstan , Lebanon , Oman , Pakistan , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan ,
2808-516: Is tasked to pursue the most sensitive high-value targets such as Al Qaeda and the Taliban leadership since 11 September 2001. Rather, TF 77, which started out as Task Force 11 and has gone through a number of name/number changes, reports directly to Joint Special Operations Command , part of USSOCOM. As of 2015 , CENTCOM forces are deployed primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan in combat roles and have support roles at bases in Kuwait , Bahrain , Qatar ,
2925-496: The 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell , Kentucky, were designated as STRAC's first-line divisions, while the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley , Kansas, and the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg were to provide backup in the event of general war. The 5th Logistical Command (later inactivated), also at Fort Bragg, would provide the corps with logistics support, while Fort Bragg's XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery would control artillery units. The Corps deployed forces to
3042-762: The 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent Iraq War). Some authors have called it the Second Gulf War to distinguish it from the Iran–Iraq War . Liberation of Kuwait ( Arabic : تحرير الكويت ) ( taḥrīr al-kuwayt ) is the term used by Kuwait and most of the coalition's Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates . Terms in other languages include French : la Guerre du Golfe and Guerre du Koweït ( War of Kuwait ); German : Golfkrieg ( Gulf War ) and Zweiter Golfkrieg ( Second Gulf War ). Most of
3159-435: The Battle of Medina Ridge , the Battle of Norfolk , and the Battle of 73 Easting . The war is also known under other names, such as the Second Gulf War (not to be confused with the 2003 Iraq War , also referred to as such ), Persian Gulf War , Kuwait War , First Iraq War , or Iraq War before the term "Iraq War" became identified with the 2003 Iraq War (also known in the US as " Operation Iraqi Freedom "). The war
3276-461: The Horn of Africa to combat terrorism, establish a secure environment, and foster regional stability. These operations involved a series of Special Operations Forces raids, humanitarian assistance, consequence management, and a variety of civic action programs. The command has also remained poised to provide disaster relief throughout the region; its most recent significant relief operations have been
3393-697: The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) directed most U.S. forces in Afghanistan. A U.S. general ( Dan K. McNeill ) assumed command of ISAF that same month. Temporary task forces include the Central Command Forward ;– Jordan (CF-J), which was announced in April 2013. CF-J's stated purpose was to work with the Jordanian armed forces to improve the latter's capabilities. There
3510-611: The Iraq–Saudi Arabia border . The conflict marked the introduction of live news broadcasts from the front lines of the battle, principally by the American network CNN . It has also earned the nickname Video Game War , after the daily broadcast of images from cameras onboard American military aircraft during Operation Desert Storm. The Gulf War has also gained fame for some of the largest tank battles in American military history :
3627-525: The Israeli-occupied territories , where riots had resulted in Palestinian deaths, was vetoed by the US, making Iraq deeply skeptical of US foreign policy aims in the region, combined with the reliance of the US on Middle Eastern energy reserves. In early July 1990, Iraq complained about Kuwait's behavior, such as not respecting their quota, and openly threatened to take military action. On
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3744-646: The Kuwait Air Force was around 2,200 Kuwaiti personnel, with 80 fixed-wing aircraft and 40 helicopters. In spite of Iraqi saber rattling , Kuwait did not mobilize its force; the army had been stood-down on 19 July, and during the Iraqi invasion many Kuwaiti military personnel were on leave. By 1988, at the end of the Iran–Iraq war, the Iraqi Army was the world's fourth largest army, consisting of 955,000 standing soldiers and 650,000 paramilitary forces in
3861-581: The United Arab Emirates , Oman , and central Asia . CENTCOM forces have also been deployed in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The following war plan numbers have been made public: Others listed by Arkin's supplements include CENTCOM CONPLAN 1211-07 "Foreign Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Response Operations." It was issued in November 2007, and required using the Request for Forces method via then- U.S. Joint Forces Command to supply any required forces. With
3978-571: The United Arab Emirates , Uzbekistan and Yemen . The command was established on 1 January 1983. As its name implies, CENTCOM covers the "central" area of the globe located between the African, European and Indo-Pacific Commands. When the hostage crisis in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan underlined the need to strengthen U.S. interests in the region, President Jimmy Carter established
4095-572: The United Kingdom , and Egypt as the largest lead-up contributors, in that order. United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 , adopted on 29 November 1990, gave Iraq an ultimatum, expiring on 15 January 1991, to implement Resolution 660 and withdraw from Kuwait, with member-states empowered to use "all necessary means" to force Iraq's compliance. Initial efforts to dislodge the Iraqis from Kuwait began with aerial and naval bombardment of Iraq on 17 January, which continued for five weeks. As
4212-685: The United States occupation of the Dominican Republic ('Operation Power Pack') in 1965. The Corps deployed forces to the Vietnam War , including the entire 101st Airborne Division and the 3rd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne division. In 1967 elements of the Corps were deployed to Detroit to suppress riots, and also to The Congo to support the government there and to rescue civilian hostages as part of Operation Dragon Rouge. In 1982
4329-549: The XVIII Airborne Corps on 25 August 1944 at Ogbourne St. George , England , assuming command of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions , as part of the preparation for Operation Market Garden . Prior to this time, the two divisions were assigned to VII Corps and jumped into Normandy during Operation Overlord , the Allied invasion of Normandy , as part of VII Corps. Major General Matthew Bunker Ridgway ,
4446-740: The Zagros Mountains from a Soviet attack and was held annually. In autumn 1989, the main CENTCOM contingency plan, OPLAN 1002-88, assumed a Soviet attack through Iran to the Persian Gulf. The plan called for five-and-two-thirds US divisions to deploy, mostly light and heavy forces at something less than full strength (apportioned to it by the Joint Strategic Capability Plan [JSCAP]). The original plan called for these five-and-two-thirds divisions to march from
4563-718: The " Tanker War ", the Federal government of the United States reflagged and renamed 11 Kuwaiti oil tankers. In Operation Earnest Will , these tankers were escorted by USCENTCOM's Middle East Force through the Persian Gulf to Kuwait and back through the Strait of Hormuz . By late 1988, the regional strategy still largely focused on the potential threat of a massive Soviet invasion of Iran. Exercise Internal Look has been one of CENTCOM's primary planning events. It had frequently been used to train CENTCOM to be ready to defend
4680-468: The 1983 establishment of CENTCOM Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti came within the area of responsibility (AOR). Thus CENTCOM directed the 'Natural Bond' exercises with Sudan, the 'Eastern Wind' exercises with Somalia, and the 'Jade Tiger' exercises with Oman, Somalia, and Sudan. Exercise Jade Tiger involved the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit with Oman from 29 November 1982 to 8 December 1982. On 7 February 2007, plans were announced for
4797-475: The 1st Battalion (Airborne), 39th Field Artillery. The living quarters for these three units were situated between the 82d Airborne Division and the Special Forces at Fort Bragg . Of the three units, only 1-39th was airborne qualified and served as the only fully airborne deployable 155 mm Field Artillery unit in history. The 1-39th FA and 3-8th FA were key components of the thrust into Iraq in
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4914-488: The 2003 United States invasion of Iraq , which began on 19 March 2003. Following the defeat of both the Taliban regime in Afghanistan (9 November 2001) and Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq (8 April 2003), CENTCOM has continued to provide security to the new freely-elected governments in those countries, conducting counterinsurgency operations and assisting host nation security forces to provide for their own defense. Beginning in October 2002, CENTCOM conducted operations in
5031-697: The 23rd, the CIA reported that Iraq had moved 30,000 troops to the Iraq-Kuwait border, and the US naval fleet in the Persian Gulf was placed on alert. Saddam believed an anti-Iraq conspiracy was developing – Kuwait had begun talks with Iran, and Iraq's rival Syria had arranged a visit to Egypt. On 15 July 1990, Saddam's government laid out its combined objections to the Arab League , including that policy moves were costing Iraq $ 1 billion
5148-557: The 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, 24th Infantry Division and 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment , XVIII Airborne Corps also gained operational control of the French 6th Light Armor Division (LAD) (which also included units from the French Foreign Legion ). During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery consisted of the 3d Battalion, 8th Field Artillery; 5th Battalion, 8th Field Artillery; and
5265-497: The CENTCOM Area of Responsibility . On 15 January 2021, responsibility for Israel was transferred from Europe Command to CENTCOM. In January 2015, CENTCOM's Twitter feed was reported to have been hacked on 11 January by ISIS sympathizers. This situation lasted for less than one hour; no classified information was posted and "none of the information posted came from CENTCOM's server or social media sites"; however, some of
5382-590: The CENTCOM AOR *Assigned to Air Combat Command as the 432nd Wing, but acts as 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing when operating in the CENTCOM AOR Two major subordinate multi-service commands reporting to Central Command were responsible for Afghanistan: Combined Joint Task Force 180 and Combined Forces Command Afghanistan (CFC-A). CFC-A was disestablished in February 2007. From that point onward,
5499-633: The Corps first rotated elements to the Sinai Peninsula as part of the Multinational Force and Observers (UN) to guarantee the Camp David Peace Accords. In 1983 elements of the Corps were deployed to the island of Grenada as part of Operation Urgent Fury, with the stated goal of reestablishing the democratically elected government. In 1989 XVIII Airborne Corps, commanded by then LTG Carl Stiner , participated in
5616-735: The Emir's youngest brother. Within 12 hours, most resistance had ended within Kuwait, and the royal family had fled, allowing Iraq to control most of Kuwait. After two days of intense combat, most of the Kuwaiti military were either overrun by the Iraqi Republican Guard , or had escaped to Saudi Arabia. The Emir and key ministers fled south along the highway for refuge in Saudi Arabia. Iraqi ground forces consolidated their control of Kuwait City, then headed south and redeployed along
5733-703: The Iranian government designated the United States Central Command a terrorist organization after the Trump administration branded Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with the same label. CENTCOM's main headquarters is located at MacDill Air Force Base , in Tampa, Florida . CENTCOM headquarters staff directorates include personnel, intelligence, operations, logistics, plans & policy, information systems, training & exercises, and resources, and other functions. The intelligence section
5850-426: The Iraqi dinar, thereby lowering the Kuwaiti currency to one-twelfth of its original value. In response, Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah ruled the banknotes as invalid and refused to reimburse stolen notes, which became worthless because of a UN embargo. After the conflict ended, many of the stolen banknotes made their way back into circulation. The stolen banknotes are a collectible for numismatists . Kuwaitis founded
5967-517: The Iraqi military struggled against the coalition attacks, Iraq fired missiles at Israel to provoke an Israeli military response, with the expectation that such a response would lead to the withdrawal of several Muslim-majority countries from the coalition. The provocation was unsuccessful; Israel did not retaliate and Iraq continued to remain at odds with most Muslim-majority countries. Iraqi missile barrages against coalition targets in Saudi Arabia were also largely unsuccessful, and on 24 February 1991,
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#17327944949816084-629: The Iraqi point of view that the measures taken by the UAE and Kuwait is, in the final analysis, parallel to military aggression against Iraq, then it would be reasonable for me to be concerned. Saddam stated that he would attempt last-ditch negotiations with the Kuwaitis but Iraq "would not accept death." According to Glaspie's own account, she stated in reference to the precise border between Kuwait and Iraq, "... that she had served in Kuwait 20 years before; 'then, as now, we took no position on these Arab affairs'." Glaspie similarly believed that war
6201-592: The Jeddah talks was an Iraqi demand for $ 10 billion to cover the lost revenues from Rumaila; Kuwait offered $ 500 million. The Iraqi response was to immediately order an invasion, which started on 2 August 1990 with the bombing of Kuwait's capital, Kuwait City . Before the invasion, the Kuwaiti military was believed to have numbered 16,000 men, arranged into three armored, one mechanized infantry and one under-strength artillery brigade. The pre-war strength of
6318-474: The Kurds and enforce a "no-fly" zone in Iraq , north of the 36th parallel, began in April 1991. In August 1992, Operation Southern Watch began in response to Saddam's noncompliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 688 condemning his brutal repression of Iraqi civilians in southeastern Iraq. Under the command and control of Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, coalition forces in this operation enforced
6435-399: The Kuwaiti emir Al Sabah and the Iraqi foreign minister – during which the emir stated his intention to turn "every Iraqi woman into a $ 10 prostitute" by bankrupting the country – was a decisive factor in triggering the Iraqi invasion. On the 25th, Saddam met with April Glaspie , the US Ambassador to Iraq , in Baghdad. The Iraqi leader attacked American policy with regards to Kuwait and
6552-470: The Palestinian issue. On 23 August, Saddam appeared on state television with Western hostages to whom he had refused exit visas. In the video, he asks a young British boy, Stuart Lockwood, whether he is getting his milk, and goes on to say, through his interpreter, "We hope your presence as guests here will not be for too long. Your presence here, and in other places, is meant to prevent the scourge of war." Another Iraqi proposal communicated in August 1990
6669-408: The Persian Gulf in response to these threats. Discussions in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia, mediated on the Arab League's behalf by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak , were held on 31 July and led Mubarak to believe that a peaceful course could be established. During Saddam Hussein's 2003–2004 interrogation following his capture he claimed that in addition to economic disputes, an insulting exchange between
6786-460: The Persian Gulf to the Zagros Mountains and prevent the Soviet Ground Forces (army) from seizing the Iranian oil fields . After 1990, General Norman Schwarzkopf reoriented CENTCOM's planning to fend off a threat from Iraq, and Internal Look moved to a biennial schedule. There was a notable similarity between the 1990 Internal Look exercise scripts and the real-world movement of Iraqi forces which culminated in Iraq's invasion of Kuwait during
6903-474: The Popular Army. According to John Childs and André Corvisier, a low estimate shows the Iraqi Army capable of fielding 4,500 tanks, 484 combat aircraft and 232 combat helicopters. According to Michael Knights, a high estimate shows the Iraqi Army capable of fielding one million troops and 850,000 reservists, 5,500 tanks, 3,000 artillery pieces, 700 combat aircraft and helicopters; it held 53 divisions, 20 special-forces brigades, and several regional militias, and had
7020-471: The Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF) in March 1980. Steps were taken to transform the RDJTF into a permanent unified command over a two-year period. The first step was to make the RDJTF independent of U.S. Readiness Command , followed by the activation of CENTCOM in January 1983. Overcoming skeptical perceptions that the command was still an RDJTF in all but name, designed to support a Cold War strategy, took time. The Iran–Iraq War clearly underlined
7137-406: The Saudi border. After the decisive Iraqi victory, Saddam initially installed a puppet regime known as the " Provisional Government of Free Kuwait " before installing his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid as Kuwait's governor on 8 August. After the invasion, the Iraqi military looted over $ 1 billion in banknotes from Kuwait's Central Bank. At the same time, Saddam Hussein made the Kuwaiti dinar equal to
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#17327944949817254-483: The UAE: So what can it mean when America says it will now protect its friends? It can only mean prejudice against Iraq. This stance plus maneuvers and statements which have been made has encouraged the UAE and Kuwait to disregard Iraqi rights ... If you use pressure, we will deploy pressure and force. We know that you can harm us although we do not threaten you. But we too can harm you. Everyone can cause harm according to their ability and their size. We cannot come all
7371-590: The USS Cole , resulting in the deaths of 17 U.S. sailors, was linked to Osama bin Laden 's Al Qaida organization. From April to July 1999, CENTCOM conducted Exercise Desert Crossing 1999 , centered on the scenario of Saddam Hussein being ousted as Iraq's dictator. It was held in the offices of Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, Virginia . The exercise concluded that unless measures were taken, "fragmentation and chaos" would ensue after Saddam Hussein's overthrow. The September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC led President George W. Bush to declare
7488-422: The United States 'satisfactory to both nations' national security interests,' develop a joint plan 'to alleviate Iraq's economical and financial problems' and 'jointly work on the stability of the gulf.'" On 29 November 1990, the Security Council passed Resolution 678 , which gave Iraq until 15 January 1991 to withdraw from Kuwait, and empowered states to use "all necessary means" to force Iraq out of Kuwait after
7605-399: The United States had little capability to defend the region. Furthermore, it was determined that a prolonged war in the region would induce much higher oil prices and threaten the fragile recovery of the world economy, which was just beginning to gain momentum. On 22 May 1984, President Reagan was briefed on the project conclusions in the Oval Office by William Flynn Martin who had served as
7722-409: The XVIII Airborne Corps deployed to Iraq for Operation Inherent Resolve , in December this included the XVIII Airborne Corps headquarters and the 1st Special Forces Command , which is deployed as the Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. The 18th Field Artillery Brigade deployed into Iraq with High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. A Canadian Army General has served with
7839-421: The XVIII Corps since 2007. XVIII Airborne Corps returned to Fort Liberty in October 2022 after a nine month deployment to Germany, in support of NATO and European Allies and partners. The mission was to provide a joint task force-capable headquarters in light of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . [REDACTED] XVIII Airborne Corps , Fort Liberty Other supporting units: The corps has participated in
7956-440: The adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 661 . British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and U.S. president George H. W. Bush deployed troops and equipment into Saudi Arabia and urged other countries to send their own forces. Many countries joined the American-led coalition forming the largest military alliance since World War II . The bulk of the coalition's military power was from the United States , with Saudi Arabia ,
8073-416: The airborne component of Operation Plunder , the crossing of the River Rhine into Germany . It was one of the largest airborne operations of the war, with the British 6th and U.S. 17th Airborne Divisions under command. After taking part in the Western Allied invasion of Germany , the XVIII Airborne Corps, still under Ridgway, returned to the United States in June 1945 and was initially to take part in
8190-437: The coalition launched a major ground assault into Iraqi-occupied Kuwait. The offensive was a decisive victory for the coalition, who liberated Kuwait and promptly began to advance past the Iraq–Kuwait border into Iraqi territory. A hundred hours after the beginning of the ground campaign, the coalition ceased its advance into Iraq and declared a ceasefire. Aerial and ground combat was confined to Iraq, Kuwait, and areas straddling
8307-409: The coalition states used various names for their operations and the war's operational phases. These are sometimes incorrectly used as the conflict's overall name, especially the US Desert Storm : The US divided the conflict into three major campaigns: Throughout the Cold War , Iraq had been an ally of the Soviet Union , and there was a history of friction between Iraq and the United States. The US
8424-465: The command launched Operation Desert Focus, designed to relocate U.S. installations to more defensible locations (such as Prince Sultan Air Base ), reduce the U.S. forward "footprint" by eliminating nonessential billets, and return dependents to the United States. In 1998 terrorists attacked the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania , killing 250 persons, including 12 Americans. The October 2000 attack on
8541-716: The country for economic support – opposed military intervention from non-Arab states. Separately, Sudan, also an Arab League member, aligned itself with Saddam. On 6 August, Resolution 661 placed economic sanctions on Iraq. Resolution 665 followed soon after, which authorized a naval blockade to enforce the sanctions. It said the "use of measures commensurate to the specific circumstances as may be necessary ... to halt all inward and outward maritime shipping in order to inspect and verify their cargoes and destinations and to ensure strict implementation of resolution 661." The US administration had at first been indecisive with an "undertone ... of resignation to
8658-530: The country within two days. The invasion was primarily over disputes regarding Kuwait's alleged slant drilling in Iraq's Rumaila oil field , as well as to cancel Iraq's large debt to Kuwait from the recently ended Iran-Iraq War . After Iraq briefly occupied Kuwait under a rump puppet government known as the Republic of Kuwait , it split Kuwait's sovereign territory into the Saddamiyat al-Mitla' District in
8775-592: The countryside, the situation in Mogadishu worsened, and the significant casualties of the Battle of Mogadishu ultimately led President Bill Clinton to order the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Somalia. Throughout the 1990s, following the Gulf War, terrorist attacks had a major impact on CENTCOM forces. Faced with attacks such as the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers , which killed 19 American airmen,
8892-542: The creation of a United States Africa Command which transferred responsibility for U.S. military operations across Africa to the new USAFRICOM, except for Egypt. On 1 October 2008, the Africa Command became operational and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa , the primary CENTCOM force on the continent, started reporting to AFRICOM at Stuttgart instead of CENTCOM in Tampa. The Department of Defense uses
9009-664: The deadline. CENTCOM The United States Central Command ( USCENTCOM or CENTCOM ) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense . It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF). Its Area of Responsibility (AOR) includes the Middle East (including Egypt in Africa ), Central Asia and parts of South Asia . The command has been
9126-476: The final days of the exercise. U.S. President George Bush responded quickly. A timely deployment of forces and the formation of a coalition deterred Iraq from invading Saudi Arabia , and the command began to focus on the liberation of Kuwait. The buildup of forces continued, reinforced by United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 , which called for Iraqi forces to leave Kuwait. On 17 January 1991, U.S. and coalition forces launched Operation Desert Storm with
9243-434: The first Gulf War , providing fire support for the French Foreign Legion and the 82nd Airborne Division . The 5th Battalion, 8th Field Artillery also served in a major support role for 82d and French troops during the Gulf War. It consisted of three individual batteries. Batteries A and B were Airborne-qualified, while Battery C was air assault . Batteries A and B were assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Battery C
9360-463: The formation will continue to be called the XVIII Airborne Corps. The divisions that fall under the XVIII Airborne Corps (as well as the other two corps in the Army) are in a period of transition, shifting from corps control to fall directly under FORSCOM , eliminating the corps status as a middle man. This ties in with the Army's broad modularity plan, as a corps can deploy and support any unit, not just
9477-477: The former U.S. Central Command Commanders would later serve as United States Secretary of Defense : General James Mattis and General Lloyd Austin . Mattis served as the 26th U.S. Secretary of Defense. Austin became the 28th U.S. Secretary of Defense on January 22, 2021; he is the current incumbent. The unit awards depicted below are for Headquarters, U.S. Central Command at MacDill AFB. Award for unit decorations do not apply to any subordinate organization such as
9594-526: The growing tensions in the region, and developments such as Iranian mining operations in the Persian Gulf led to CENTCOM's first combat operations. On 17 May 1987, the USS ; Stark (FFG-31) , conducting operations in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War, was struck by Exocet missiles fired by an Iraqi aircraft , resulting in 37 casualties. Soon afterward, as part of what became known as
9711-590: The growing threat of regional terrorism. To prevent widespread starvation as the Somali Civil War continued, CENTCOM began Operation Provide Relief in 1992 to supply humanitarian assistance to Somalia and northeastern Kenya . CENTCOM's Operation Restore Hope supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 794 and a multinational Unified Task Force, which provided security until the U.N. created UNOSOM II in May 1993. In spite of some UNOSOM II success in
9828-620: The head of the NSC staff that organized the study. (The full declassified presentation can be seen here: ) The conclusions were threefold: first, oil stocks needed to be increased among members of the International Energy Agency and, if necessary, released early if the oil market was disrupted; second, the United States needed to beef up the security of friendly Arab states in the region; and third, an embargo should be placed on sales of military equipment to Iran and Iraq. The plan
9945-501: The hundreds of thousands. Within President Ronald Reagan 's National Security Council concern was growing that the war could spread beyond the boundaries of the two belligerents. A National Security Planning Group meeting was formed, chaired by then Vice President George H. W. Bush , to review US options. It was determined that the conflict would likely spread into Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states, but that
10062-667: The invasion and demanding a withdrawal of Iraqi troops. On 3 August 1990, the Arab League passed its own resolution, which called for a solution to the conflict from within the league, and warned against outside intervention. Iraq and Libya were the only two Arab League states that opposed the resolution for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait; the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) opposed it as well. The Arab states of Yemen and Jordan – a Western ally which bordered Iraq and relied on
10179-505: The invasion and even adaptation to it as a fait accompli" until the UK's prime minister Margaret Thatcher played a powerful role, reminding the President that appeasement in the 1930s had led to war, that Saddam would have the whole Gulf at his mercy along with 65 percent of the world's oil supply, and famously urging President Bush "not to go wobbly". Once persuaded, US officials insisted on
10296-482: The invasion of Japan , codenamed Operation Downfall . However, the Japanese surrendered just weeks later and XVIII Airborne Corps was inactivated on 15 October 1945 at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . The Corps was reactivated at Fort Bragg on 21 May 1951 under the command of Major General John W. Leonard . Since then, the corps has been the primary strategic response force, with subordinate units participating in over
10413-593: The invasion of Panama in Operation Just Cause . Stiner served concurrently as Commander of Joint Task Force South. At the end of the Cold War in 1989 the corps consisted of the following formations and units: In 1991, XVIII Airborne Corps participated in the Persian Gulf War . The corps was responsible for securing VII Corps' northern flank against a possible Iraqi counterattack. Along with
10530-664: The main American presence in many military operations, including the Persian Gulf War 's Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the War in Afghanistan , as well as the Iraq War from 2003 to 2011. As of 2015 , CENTCOM forces were deployed primarily in Afghanistan under the auspices of Operation Freedom's Sentinel , which was itself part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission (from 2015 to 2021), and in Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve since 2014 in supporting and advise-and-assist roles. As of 1 April 2022 , CENTCOM's commander
10647-497: The north, which was absorbed into Iraq's existing Basra Governorate , and the Kuwait Governorate in the south, which became Iraq's 19th governorate. The invasion of Kuwait was met with immediate international condemnation, including the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 660 , which demanded Iraq's immediate withdrawal from Kuwait, and the imposition of comprehensive international sanctions against Iraq with
10764-540: The operation, including the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. Following the Battle of the Bulge , in which the corps played a significant part (and which, during the early stages of the battle, the corps was commanded by Major General James M. Gavin of the 82nd Airborne), all American airborne units on the Western Front fell under command of the corps. XVIII Airborne Corps planned and executed Operation Varsity ,
10881-558: The opportunity to rebuild your country. But we have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait ... Frankly, we can only see that you have deployed massive troops in the south. Normally that would not be any of our business. But when this happens in the context of what you said on your national day, then when we read the details in the two letters of the Foreign Minister, then when we see
10998-467: The region. Iraq also accused Kuwait of exceeding its OPEC quotas for oil production. In order for the cartel to maintain its desired price of $ 18 per barrel, discipline was required. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait were consistently overproducing; the latter at least in part to repair losses caused by Iranian attacks in the Iran–Iraq War and to pay for the losses of an economic scandal. The result
11115-563: The senior leadership of CENTCOM, concluding that "allegations of intelligence being intentionally altered, delayed or suppressed by top CENTCOM officials from mid-2014 to mid-2015 were largely unsubstantiated." In January 2018, Turkey urged the United States to remove its troops from Syrian city of Manbij , saying that otherwise they might come under attack from Turkish troops; however, former CENTCOM commander Joseph Votel confirmed an American commitment to keeping troops in Manbij. In 2019,
11232-466: The situation in Kuwait." He also called for a replacement of US troops that mobilized in Saudi Arabia in response to Kuwait's invasion with "an Arab force", as long as that force did not involve Egypt. Additionally, he requested an "immediate freeze of all boycott and siege decisions" and a general normalization of relations with Iraq. From the beginning of the crisis, President Bush was strongly opposed to any "linkage" between Iraq's occupation of Kuwait and
11349-791: The slides came from the federally funded Lincoln Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . In August 2015, intelligence analysts working for CENTCOM complained to the media, alleging that CENTCOM's senior leadership was altering or distorting intelligence reports on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In February 2017, the Inspector General of the United States Department of Defense completed its investigation and cleared
11466-409: The time the ceasefire with Iran was signed in August 1988, Iraq was heavily debt-ridden and tensions within society were rising. Most of its debt was owed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq's debts to Kuwait amounted to $ 14 billion. Iraq pressured both nations to forgive the debts, but they refused. The Iraq–Kuwait border dispute involved Iraqi claims to Kuwaiti territory. Kuwait had been
11583-467: The units subordinate to the corps. The 3d Infantry Division , the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), and the 101st Airborne Division ( Air Assault ) have already changed over to direct FORSCOM control. The 82nd Airborne Division will transfer after the division returns from Afghanistan. In August 2006, XVIII Airborne Corps traveled to South Korea to participate in Ulchi Focus Lens,
11700-735: The war, by unemployed Iraqis, among them demobilized soldiers. These events drew little notice outside the Arab world because of fast-moving events directly related to the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe. However, the US did begin to condemn Iraq's human rights record, including the well-known use of torture. The UK also condemned the execution of Farzad Bazoft , a journalist working for the British newspaper The Observer . Following Saddam's declaration that "binary chemical weapons" would be used on Israel if it used military force against Iraq, Washington halted part of its funding. A UN mission to
11817-458: The war. This move was supported by the US, who believed that Iraqi ties with pro-Western Gulf states would help bring and maintain Iraq inside the US' sphere of influence. In 1989, it appeared that Saudi–Iraqi relations , strong during the war, would be maintained. A pact of non-interference and non-aggression was signed between the countries, followed by a Kuwaiti-Iraqi deal for Iraq to supply Kuwait with water for drinking and irrigation, although
11934-399: The way to you in the United States, but individual Arabs may reach you ... We do not place America among the enemies. We place it where we want our friends to be and we try to be friends. But repeated American statements last year made it apparent that America did not regard us as friends. Glaspie replied: I know you need funds. We understand that and our opinion is that you should have
12051-458: Was a major subordinate multi-service command during the Iraq War order of battle until it was disestablished in 2011. Elements of other Unified Combatant Commands , especially United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), operate in the CENTCOM area. It appears that SOCCENT does not direct the secretive Task Force 88 , the ad-hoc grouping of Joint Special Operations Command 'black' units such as Delta Force and Army Rangers , which
12168-431: Was a slump in the oil price – as low as $ 10 per barrel ($ 63/m ) – with a resulting loss of $ 7 billion a year to Iraq, equal to its 1989 balance of payments deficit. Resulting revenues struggled to support the government's basic costs, let alone repair Iraq's damaged infrastructure. Jordan and Iraq both looked for more discipline, with little success. The Iraqi government described it as
12285-623: Was an armed conflict between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States . The coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: Operation Desert Shield , which marked the military buildup from August 1990 to January 1991; and Operation Desert Storm , which began with the aerial bombing campaign against Iraq on 17 January 1991 and came to a close with the American-led liberation of Kuwait on 28 February 1991. On 2 August 1990, Iraq, governed by Saddam Hussein , invaded neighboring Kuwait and fully occupied
12402-621: Was approved by President Reagan and later affirmed by the G7 leaders headed by the United Kingdom's Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher , in the London Summit of 1984 . The plan was implemented and became the basis for US preparedness to respond to the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait in 1991. Within hours of the invasion, Kuwait and US delegations requested a meeting of the UN Security Council , which passed Resolution 660 , condemning
12519-473: Was assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. All of the battalions were subsequently re-flagged during the years following the Gulf War. Task Force 118 had flown the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior off naval vessels during Operation Prime Chance in the 1980s, operating against Iran in the Persian Gulf . It was redesignated the 4th Squadron, 17th Cavalry on 15 January 1991. During the Gulf War of 1991 it
12636-531: Was concerned with Iraq's position on Israeli– Palestinian politics. The US also disliked Iraqi support for Palestinian militant groups, which led to Iraq's inclusion on the developing US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism in December 1979. The US remained officially neutral after Iraq's invasion of Iran in 1980, which became the Iran–Iraq War, although it provided resources, political support, and some "non-military" aircraft to Iraq. In March 1982, Iran began
12753-599: Was conducted by commandos deployed by helicopters and boats to attack the city from the sea, while other divisions seized the airports and two airbases . The Iraqis attacked the Dasman Palace , the Royal Residence of Kuwait's Emir , Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah , which was defended by the Emiri Guard supported with M-84 tanks. In the process, the Iraqis killed Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah ,
12870-643: Was delivered to US National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft by an unidentified Iraqi official. The official communicated to the White House that Iraq would "withdraw from Kuwait and allow foreigners to leave" provided that the UN lifted sanctions, allowed "guaranteed access to the Persian Gulf through the Kuwaiti islands of Bubiyan and Warbah", and allowed Iraq to "gain full control of the Rumaila oil field that extends slightly into Kuwaiti territory". The proposal also "include[d] offers to negotiate an oil agreement with
12987-560: Was deployed from January 2005 to January 2006 to Baghdad , Iraq, where it served as the Multi-National Corps – Iraq . Following its return, XVIII Airborne Corps and its subordinate units began the process of modernization and reorganization. Under the previous Army Chief of Staff 's future restructure of the Army , the corps headquarters of the XVIII Airborne Corps will lose its airborne (specifically parachute) certification as
13104-589: Was first activated on 17 January 1942, five weeks after the entry of the United States into World War II , as the II Armored Corps at Camp Polk , Louisiana , under the command of Major General William Henry Harrison Morris, Jr. When the concept of armored corps proved unnecessary, II Armored Corps was re-designated as XVIII Corps on 9 October 1943 at the Presidio of Monterey, California . XVIII Corps deployed to Europe on 17 August 1944 and became
13221-550: Was named Umm al-Ma'arik ("mother of all battles") by Iraqi officials. After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Gulf War of 1990–1991 is often known as the " First Iraq War ". The following names have been used to describe the conflict itself: Gulf War and Persian Gulf War are the most common terms for the conflict used within western countries , though it may also be called the First Gulf War (to distinguish it from
13338-490: Was not imminent. On 26 July 1990, only a few days before the Iraqi invasion, OPEC officials said that Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates had agreed to a proposal to limit their oil output to 1.5 million barrels (240,000 m ) per day, "down from the nearly 2 million barrels a day they had each been pumping," thus potentially settling differences over oil policy between Kuwait and Iraq. The result of
13455-402: Was part of the 18th Aviation Brigade . The 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions have served with the corps since the 1950s. The 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) was 'reflagged' as the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) in April 1996. The Corps headquarters was deployed to Afghanistan from May 2002 – 2003, and became Combined Joint Task Force 180 for the deployment. XVIII Airborne Corps
13572-553: Was speculation, however, that another reason for its establishment was to serve as a base from which raids into Syria could be launched to seize Syrian WMD if necessary, and as a launch pad for looming American military action in Syria. On 1 October 2008 Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti was transferred to United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM). The United States Forces – Iraq or USF-I,
13689-517: Was to help them succeed in the war against Iran." With Iraq's newfound success in the war, and the Iranian rebuff of a peace offer in July, arms sales to Iraq reached a record spike in 1982. When Iraqi President Saddam Hussein expelled Abu Nidal to Syria at the US's request in November 1983, the Reagan administration sent Donald Rumsfeld to meet Saddam as a special envoy and to cultivate ties. By
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