#desert shield

M551A1 Sheridan

A petty officer assigned to the aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA (CV-60) embraces his father as they are reunited on the pier. The SARATOGA has returned to Mayport following its deployment to the Persian Gulf region for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, 3/28/1991

Series: Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files, 1982 - 2007

Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1921 - 2008

The homophobic government of Kuwait has criticized the US embassy in the capital for issuing LGBTQ+ friendly messages for Pride Month.

Kuwait has summoned a top US diplomat in protest over tweets from the American embassy supporting LGBT rights, its foreign ministry says.

US officials there had posted a rainbow flag and message of solidarity from President Joe Biden for Pride month.

But Kuwait officials criticised the embassy for "supporting homosexuality" and demanded it didn't happen again.

Rights for LGBT people are severely restricted in Kuwait and it is illegal there for men to be gay.

To provide some background on the country’s state of mind, in 2013 Kuwait wanted to use gaydar to screen gays out of the country.

Kuwait developing ‘gay detector’ test to keep LGBT expats out of Gulf countries 

I’d say that the government of Kuwait has a memory problem. In 1990 Kuwait was invaded and taken over by neighboring Iraq. It was a move basically to steal Kuwait’s oil and put Iraq in a better position to do the same with that of Saudi Arabia.

Iraq’s invasion was quickly and robustly condemned by the the international committee. In November, the UN Security Council passed a resolution giving Iraq and its dictator Saddam Hussein until January 15th to leave Kuwait.

A US-led coalition of military forces from dozens of countries assembled in Saudi Arabia and waited for the deadline. After Saddam’s refusal to withdraw, the air war began on January 16th and the ground assault started on February 23rd. Four days later, Kuwait was liberated.

Here’s a more detailed timeline for our friends in Kuwait.

According to the Pentagon, about 697,000 US troops took part in the operation and 299 died. It’s likely that many were LGBT. 🏳️‍🌈

Kuwait, we’re very sorry if you don’t see the problem here. But your treasured archaic superstition of homophobia has no place in this century.