An incisive account of the Persian Gulf War, Storm Over Iraq shows how the success of Operation Desert Storm was the product of two decades of profound changes in the American approach to defense, military doctrine, and combat operations. The first detailed analysis of why the Gulf War could be fought the way it was, the book examines the planning and preparation for war. Richard P. Hallion argues that the ascendancy of precision air power in warfare—which fulfilled the promise that air power had held for more than seventy-five years—reflects the revolutionary adaptation of a war strategy that targets things rather than people, allowing one to control an opposing nation without destroying it. Although it had its share of land and sea engagements, the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91 was preeminently an aerial conflict, one in which the Allied forces were able to put into practice an evolving theory of warcraft that favored the destruction of things over people and the control rather than the conquest of an enemy power. From a technological standpoint, writes U.S. Air Force historian Richard Hallion, the Allied forces were inordinately successful. He traces the history of air-combat techniques employed in battle over Iraq, analyzes the weaponry used (including the remarkable F117A stealth fighter), and points out the shortcomings in the Allies' performance, notably in combat search and rescue. “Authoritative and absorbing. . . . Hallion’s argument is provocative and challenges many current perceptions of military power projection. Well written, timely and incisive . . . . A rare find.”— Military Review “An important study. . . . Hallion traces the evolution of air power doctrine from World War I to [the Gulf War]. It is a story of aspirations and expectations that for many years exceeded the reach of available technology, giving rise to a widespread skepticism about the potential of strategic bombardment.”— Journal of Military History “Superb . . . [Storm over Iraq] may be the benchmark by which we measure understanding of the debate over the revolution in warfare that was heralded by Operation Desert Storm.”— Airpower Journal Richard P. Hallion, Air Force Historian, directs the worldwide Air Force historical and museum programs. An internationally recognized aerospace historian, he has written or edited many other books.