Gulf War

Gulf War. The Gulf War was a major international conflict triggered by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990. A broad military coalition, authorized by the United Nations Security Council and led by the United States, assembled to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait in an operation codenamed Operation Desert Storm. The conflict, which concluded in February 1991, resulted in a decisive victory for the coalition and the liberation of Kuwait, but left the regime of Saddam Hussein in power in Baghdad.

Background and causes

The roots of the conflict lay in longstanding territorial disputes and economic tensions between Iraq and Kuwait following the costly Iran–Iraq War. The government of Saddam Hussein accused Kuwait of slant drilling into the Rumaila oil field and exceeding its OPEC production quotas, which depressed global oil prices and crippled Iraq's war-ravaged economy. Iraq also contended that Kuwait was historically part of the Ottoman province of Basra. Diplomatic efforts, including meetings in Jeddah, failed, leading to the full-scale invasion. The international community, particularly the United States and Soviet Union, reacted with swift condemnation, leading to the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 660.

Course of the war

The war commenced with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the immediate establishment of a puppet government, the Republic of Kuwait. This was followed by a massive coalition build-up in Saudi Arabia, known as Operation Desert Shield. The combat phase, Operation Desert Storm, began on 17 January 1991 with a devastating five-week air campaign targeting Baghdad, military infrastructure, and the Iraqi Republican Guard. The ground campaign, Operation Desert Sabre, was launched on 24 February, featuring a sweeping flanking maneuver through the Saudi Arabian desert. Key battles included the Battle of Khafji, the Battle of 73 Easting, and the Battle of Medina Ridge. Coalition forces rapidly liberated Kuwait City and advanced into southern Iraq, leading to a ceasefire on 28 February.

Coalition forces and strategy

The coalition, assembled under United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, was a historic multinational force led by the United States Central Command under General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr.. Key contributors included the United Kingdom's British Army, France's French Air Force, and regional powers like Egypt and Syria. The strategy, formulated by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell and President George H. W. Bush, centered on achieving overwhelming air superiority using advanced aircraft like the F-117 Nighthawk and F-15 Eagle, followed by a decisive armored thrust. Naval forces from the United States Navy and the Royal Navy enforced a blockade in the Persian Gulf and launched cruise missiles from vessels like the USS Wisconsin (BB-64).

Iraqi forces and strategy

Iraq's military, the world's fourth-largest at the time, was commanded by Saddam Hussein and heavily relied on the elite Iraqi Republican Guard. Their strategy was primarily defensive, intending to draw coalition forces into costly attritional warfare. They constructed extensive fortifications along the Saudi border, known as the Saddam Line, which included fire trenches, minefields, and oil-filled moats. Iraq also launched Scud missile attacks against Israel, in an attempt to fracture the coalition by provoking Israeli retaliation and inflaming the Arab–Israeli conflict, and against coalition bases in Saudi Arabia, such as Dhahran.

Aftermath and legacy

The immediate aftermath saw the restoration of the Al Sabah dynasty in Kuwait, which was left environmentally devastated by sabotaged oil wells. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein suppressed major Shia and Kurdish uprisings, leading to the establishment of Iraqi no-fly zones by the coalition. The United Nations imposed stringent economic sanctions and a weapons inspection regime via the United Nations Special Commission. The war cemented the United States as the sole superpower in the post–Cold War era, influenced subsequent military doctrine, and set the stage for the Iraq War in 2003. Key veterans, including Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. and Colin Powell, became prominent national figures.

Category:Wars involving Iraq Category:Wars involving the United States Category:1990s conflicts