Michael Gordon

Twenty years after the United States launched Operation Desert Storm, newly-declassified archival transcripts give us a fresh look at the first Iraq War — with more than a few surprises. The documents reveal that as the U.S. was bearing down on Iraq in February 1991, Hussein turned to Gorbachev, hoping the Moscow leader would help him convince the United States to retreat. 

Less than a week after President Obama declared the end of combat operations in Iraq, U.S. forces have exchanged fire with insurgents in Baghdad. American troops helped repel a coordinated attack on an Iraqi base. At least five bombers carrying grenades and wearing suicide jackets attempted to breach checkpoints and killed at least 12 people, wounding at least 20. 

The engagement was the first for U.S. forces since last Tuesday, when President Obama delaclared the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 7 1/2 year war, and the start of Operation New Dawn, in which 50,000 troops will remain in Iraq in a non-combat role to support and train the Iraqi military. 

The last U.S. combat brigade rolled out of Iraq and into Kuwait last night. 50,000 training and support troops remain, but they, too, are scheduled to leave Iraq by the end of 2011 when the State Department will assume responsibility for training Iraqi police. The U.S. has already begun to transfer control of security operations to Iraqi civilians, but several military experts predict thousands of additional troops will still be required after 2011 to ease the transition.

Twenty years ago today, one of the Arab world's most powerful armies invaded its tiny neighbor to the south. Iraqi forces significantly outnumbered and overpowered Kuwait's military as they marched in, and within a short time had overthrown the government. Saddam Hussein declared that the nation of Kuwait no longer existed; Iraqi forces held the country for seven months, until U.S. and coalition forces liberated the occupied country in the first Gulf War.