ABSTRACT
The economies of the developed world lay vulnerable to Saddam Hussein's whim, and the US and Allied task quickly shifted to deterring an invasion of Saudi Arabia. The Defense Intelligence Agency sent out a flash warning: the invasion is imminent. The apparent speed and efficiency of the operation impressed US military officials watching the terrible spectacle through the precise eyes of orbiting intelligence satellites. The violation of international law and the threat to the world's oil lifeline were so clear that appeasement would be a disaster. The short–term military and diplomatic actions do have a strong impact on crisis outcomes. The adoption by the defender of both a firm–but–flexible position in negotiations and a policy of tit for tat in military escalation contributed substantially to the success of deterrence, whereas alternate diplomatic and military strategies were less effective, if not counterproductive.
