Though tactically sound, the scheme turned out to be both unlucky and unworkable against an advanced enemy. In an effort to block the American drive and allow Iraqi forces to withdraw from Kuwait, the 2nd Brigade of the Guard’s Medina Division had dug in behind a small rise in the landscape, a ridge that would expose enemy tanks to their fire. It was experienced in desert tank battles from Iraq’s recent nine-year war with Iran, but its forces were reeling from combat with the Americans when the battle took place on Feb. The Republican Guard was equipped with Soviet-made T-72 and obsolescent Chinese Type 69 tanks. The tank crews of 1st Armored Division had moved at a blistering pace through southern Iraq since crossing the Saudi border three days earlier, meeting little resistance along the way.Īfter a small skirmish with Iraqi regular forces in the town of Al Busayyah, 2nd Brigade tankers were pushed forward in search of the Republican Guard, the elite branch of Iraq’s military and the praetorian guard of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Norman Schwarzkopf’s “left hook” - a massive flanking attack against Iraqi forces near the Kuwait border.
And it was one of the final punches of Gen.
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