Link to PDF

Abstract:

The failure of Canada to deploy effective and salient military forces for the first Gulf War in 1990-91 was not commonly understood at the time. This article, which has appeared in two iterations, was supposed to be an appendix to the book War Without Battles but was not included because of space. MO explained exactly what factors interfered with deploying 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade to operate alongside VII US Corps in the liberation of Kuwait. It was a tragic story of bureaucratic manipulation, careerism, and bumbling. The failure to deploy the Operation BROADSWORD force was highly embarrassing in professional circles and led to a loss of military credibility for Canada.