File: 082696_d50028_151.txt
Page: 151
Total Pages: 274

suggests that Soviet military advisers are still in Iraq. (Washington Times, February 26, p. 6.)

Allied armor and helicopter units in Iraq push rapidly north toward the Euphrates River valley,
hoping to cut Baghdad's rail and road links to Kuwait. Iraqi resistance toughens only slightly, although
units of the Republican Guards swing into action. American command says it is achieving "tremendous
success" all across the front. (New York Times, February 26, p. Al.)

The U.S. First Marine Division, Saudi and Kuwaiti troops reach the southern outskirts of Kuwait
City. The Second Marine Division and other Arab forces approach southwestern Kuwait City. Egyptian

and Syrian troops swung northeast toward Kuwait City. (New York Times, February 26, p. A13.)
The Warsaw Pact agrees to dissolve the 36-year~ld military alliance by March 31. (New York

Times, February 26, p. Al.)
---U.S. troops have problems hitting targets with TOW missiles because soldiers lack experience firing
the weapon. (Defense News, February 25, p. 31.)

February 26
Tuesday --- The U.S. First and Second Marine Divisions, a U.S. heavy armor brigade and Arab
troops encircle. and enter Kuwait City, which Iraqi forces have mostly evacuated. A mechanized armor
unit from the XVIII Airborne Corps reaches the Euphrates. Most of the U.S. xvm Airborne Corps
and the VII Corps move toward the Republican Guards. A large U.S. armor unit destroys the
southernmost Republican Guard division. The British Fourth and Seventh brigades swing east into
Kuwait and defeat a division of Iraq's armored reserve. Egyptian troops, backed up by Syrian units,

fight an Iraqi corps. (New York Times, February 27, p. Al.)
More than 30,000 Iraqi prisoners of war have been taken, with the number rising so fast that the
command has stopped counting. Twenty~ne Iraqi divisions have been knocked out of action,
representing about 225,000 men, or roughly half the entire force defending Kuwait, and more than
2,000 tanks destroyed. (New York Times, p. Al 8.)

---Iraq's infantry and mechanized forces leaving Kuwait are retreating under fire. Iraqi vehicles in
close formation are being bombed by wave after wave of allied planes. (New York Times, February
27, p. A19.)

President Saddam Hussein makes a public commitment to withdraw from Kuwait, but President Bush
says the promise is inadequate, presses for virtual surrender, and orders allied forces to continue
attacking to break the Iraqi leader's "power and control in the Middle East." (New York Times,
February 27, p. Al.)

Residents of Kuwait City race into the streets to embrace the first allied soldiers to enter the city.
Some Kuwaitis hug and kiss American soldiers; others wave Kuwaiti flags. (New York Times,
February 27, p. Al.)

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