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soldiers and Shiite civilians attacked government officials. If the
rebels believed President Bush’s call to overthrow Saddam meant
that the United States would help them, however, they were wrong.
Despite his colossal defeat in the Gulf War, Saddam had managed
to preserve his best-trained and most loyal military force, the elite
Republican Guard. The dictator sent Republican Guard units south
to recapture the cities and put down the revolt. Thousands of
I
RAQ
66
In the wake of Saddam’s
brutal suppression of the Kurdish
and Shiite rebellions following the
Gulf War, the United States and its
coalition allies prevented Iraq from
flying aircraft in the north and
south of the country. Inset: A U.S.
Air Force F-15C Eagle patrols the
northern no-fly zone.
IRAQ
TURKEY
Black
Sea
Caspian
Sea
RUSSIA
GEORGIA
AZER.
ARM.
IRAN
SAUDI
ARABIA
SYRIA
Baghdad
Basra
Mosul
Operation Southern
Watch (South of the
33rd parallel of latitude)
Operation Northern
Watch (North of the
36th parallel)
No-Fly Zones