War in the Gulf: Desert Shield

Overview

On August 2, 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait prompting a coalition of forces led by the United States to build up in the Gulf region in preparation for conflict with the largest and most battle-hardened Arab army. This programme, produced before the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991, is the next best thing to a classified Pentagon briefing on the military power of both sides of the then-ensuing conflict. Based on previously classified intelligence reports, it examines what was known of the massive arsenals of the Iraqi armed forces and the multi-national forces based in Saudi Arabia. Major weapons systems on both sides are examined, including previously unseen views of little known Iraqi weapons. America's top experts on Iraq predict the outcome of the battle with uncanny accuracy.