30 Years Ago
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But yes.
Now the 'where were you' question. (when you found out we were actually at war)
I was walking around Dadeland Mall in Miami with a co-worker/buddy. We were in a Sharper Image store (remember those?) A woman was carrying a 'transistor radio' the size of a walkie talkie, no earphones, just holding it up to her ear, and announced 'we're at war'.
It was a much bigger deal then. Other than quick little actions at Grenada and Panama, we hadn't really done military action since Vietnam and there was a lot of public concern it wouldn't go well.
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That was also the beginning of the end of civilized air travel.
Prior to the gulf war, anyone could walk through (light) security and go to the gate to accompany a friend or meet someone you were picking up. No ticket, no ID required.
I lived in Chicago but was working in Miami. Every other weekend I'd fly my girlfriend down. I remember the first time I couldn't meet her at the gate. She was like 'WTF' when I saw her at baggage claim. No cell phones then, of course, so she didn't know I couldn't get past security.
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But yes.
Now the 'where were you' question. (when you found out we were actually at war)
I was walking around Dadeland Mall in Miami with a co-worker/buddy. We were in a Sharper Image store (remember those?) A woman was carrying a 'transistor radio' the size of a walkie talkie, no earphones, just holding it up to her ear, and announced 'we're at war'.
It was a much bigger deal then. Other than quick little actions at Grenada and Panama, we hadn't really done military action since Vietnam and there was a lot of public concern it wouldn't go well.
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@jon-nyc said in 30 Years Ago:
Thats the 17th
And nobody mentioned it, as far as I'm aware, so yes, I'm 10 hours off and give no fuck.
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I saw it on the TV. It was a big deal for us because my uncle was already over there for Desert Shield. He stayed for the duration.
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I was in my dorm room and we heard a call to “come check this shit out!” and we walk went to the common room and watched on CNN. At 18 years old and recently registered with Selective Service, we were particularly interested.
I turned to my roommate and asked him to marry me. My guess is that wouldn’t work anymore...
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I was 8... so to help me with context, was this a complete surprise for most of the public?
I know time/tech/info has changed so "back then" was it not clear a military engagement was imminent? The "where were you" reminds me of surprise events like JFK assassination or 9/11.
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By the time it happened it wasn’t really a surprise, the best way I can describe it is it still seemed like a bit of a step into the unknown in a way that no recent military actions have.
We still had “quagmire phobia” after Vietnam.
We then lost it after desert storm, only to catch it again 15-20 years later.
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By the time it happened it wasn’t really a surprise, the best way I can describe it is it still seemed like a bit of a step into the unknown in a way that no recent military actions have.
We still had “quagmire phobia” after Vietnam.
We then lost it after desert storm, only to catch it again 15-20 years later.
My memory is that it was auspicious but not so risky. Of course no one thought through all the follow on actions that gave rise to Iran as a regional power. The miscalculations by Saddam as to our responses and our lack of foresight to losing an evenly pitted Iraq and Iran deserves serious study. I’d love to read that history book.
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And then the Highway of Death
I took these pictures on the Highway of Death 11 years earlier, it wasn't the Highway of Death back then, just some camels roaming wild.
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image url)@copper Cool pictures!!
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If I recall, Bush gave a deadline and just a few hours after that passed we were in. I don't recall having much concern about the fight but do think I remember thinking we might have a much higher death toll.
I remember the night vision video of all the anti-aircraft tracers and discussion of how devastating the stealth bombers were.
I just finished watching W. two nights ago.
