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The Gulf War
Gulf war was a war between Iraqi against the allied forces of nations led by the United States, who were called upon by Kuwait. It was after economic differences between Iraq and Kuwait that the war broke (Smith et al 145). It majorly involved aerial as well as ground combat for success. The paper will discuss the events and issues that led to this war, strategies employed by George H.W. Bush to enhance victory and the ultimate outcome of his effort.
The events leading to the war started during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980’s. During this war, Kuwait befriended Iraq and supported them in that war against Iran. It is during that time that Kuwait owed Iraq $14 billion debt borrowed to finance a war. Iraq opted to increase the cost of oil so as to acquire enough money to pay its debts. On the other hand, Kuwait increased oil production that led to low prices of exportation and importation. As a result, Iraq president, Saddam Hussein, accused Kuwait and Saud Arabia of conspiring to pander Western oil buyers through keeping oil prices low (Finlan 89). Kuwait had also taken advent age of war to drill into Iraq’s oil. Therefore, Hussein accused Kuwait of drilling into their crude oil that was on their common border, Rumaylah (Finlan 89). That would call for Kuwait dropping debt charges as well as becoming the 19th province of Iraq.
During the accusation speech, Iraq’s troop started annexing Kuwait and since it was a weak nation, King Fahd of Saud Arabia together with Kuwait’s exiled government decided to seek help from the United Nations and the United States. It was after Hussein dropped peace negotiations initiated by Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak. The coalition aimed at protecting Saudi Arabia and Kuwait against Iraq’s annexation that most nations considered an act of aggression. As a result, the United States air force and other troops sent by NATO declared Operation Desert Shield (Lowry 14).
The coalition ordered the Iraqi troops to withdraw from Kuwait by 15th January in 1991 and failure to heed to that they would employ all means to force the troops out. Hussein declared Jihad, Muslim Holy War so as to find favor with Muslim Nations (Finlan 89). On crossing the deadline, United States air force led by George H.W. Bush decided to hit Iraq’s air defenses that compromised Iraq’s communication networks, oil refineries as well as their weapon plants. It was called Operation Desert Storm that involved military technology with the use of smart bombs. As Iraq concentrated on air combat, ground combat was slowly taking shape a strategy that would see the coalition succeeds.
The ground combat was also called Operation Desert Sabre. It involved ground troops encircling Iraq and freeing Kuwait while US forces attacked Iraq’s armored reserves through the rear. At this time, Iraq’s defense was almost collapsing and Bush declared Ceasefire that led to victory and ended the Gulf War (Smith et al 145). That war cost a lot of lives of Iraq’s troop while the coalition troops lost fewer lives. Peace terms included Iraq recognizing Kuwait sovereignty as well as getting rid of its weapons of massive destruction. Later, Bush and United Nations air force patrolled along Kuwait’s borders to prevent attacks from Iraq. US insistence on the removal of Hussein from power in 2002 led to another Gulf war (Lowry 17).
In conclusion, economic differences between Kuwait and Iraq made Hussein declare the annexation of the rival nation making it their 19th province. The Kuwait government asked the US and the UN to help them in war and the coalition made aerial and ground combat that led to victory. Eventually, Hussein signed a peace treaty recognizing Kuwait’s Sovereignty and got rid of their weapons of mass destruction.
Works Cited
Smith, Steve, Amelia Hadfield, and Timothy Dunne. Foreign Policy: Theories Actors Cases. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. 145
Finlan, Alastair. The Gulf War of 1991. New York: Rosen Pub., 2009. Print.
Lowry, Richard. The Gulf War Chronicles. Indiana: iUniverse, 2003, Print