Gums wrote:But the biggie I saw in 'raqi I was lack of training and practice by the enemy.
I not sure if I agree with you with the part above which I quoted. (or at least fully agree with it)
I would say that Iraqi forces during Desert Storm were actually very experienced forces since and afterall they were engaged in an open and conventional war against Iran whose main weaponry came precisely from the USA as well as their training (from the times when the Shah Reza Pahlavi ruled Iran). They even had experience fighting against Iranian F-14s managing to shoot down some of these (quite advanced at that time) aircraft. This was of course the Iran-Iraq war which lasted 8 years from 1980-1988 (which ended 3 years before the beginning of Desert Storm).
However I do agree with you that training was definitely better on the US and coalition (specially with NATO members such as the UK) side compared to Iraqi forces but the experience/practice was IMO better on the Iraqi side.
So, I would say that some of the reasons for the overwhelming superiority from the US/Coalition side were (and in not any particular order):
1- Training (or better training).
2- Technological superiority. Just as small comparison: F-14s, F-15s, F-16s, F/A-18s versus Mig-21s, Mig-23s, Mig-25s and Mig-29s (the later were old -A models). IMO, this says it all!
3- Numerical superiority, specially and namely in terms of Air Power. So the US was not only superior to Iraq in terms of technology but it also had the numerical advantage in terms of combat aircraft.
Finally, I do agree when you say that "they [Iraqi] weren't much better in 2003". Yes, that seems to be a fact which IMO is not odd at all since the sanctions that Iraq suffered after Desert Storm basically "dilapidated" their armed forces, both in terms of equipment itself and likely in training as well.
“Active stealth” is what the ignorant nay sayers call ECM and pretend like it’s new.