Summary
Highlights
In 1988, having ended a bloody war with Iran, Iraq faces a massive debt and a struggling economy. Saddam Hussein, needing to maintain military and social spending, pressures OPEC to raise oil prices. When Kuwait and the UAE refuse, Saddam sees Kuwait as a solution to his financial woes, demanding debt cancellation and financial compensation, escalating tensions by moving troops to the Kuwaiti border in July 1990.
Despite assurances from the international community that Iraq would not attack, Saddam's forces invade Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Iraqi troops quickly occupy the country, leading to the Emir's flight and the theft of $2 billion from the Kuwaiti Central Bank. The UN Security Council unanimously denounces the invasion, unifying Western, Soviet, and Arab leaders against Iraq and disrupting the balance of Middle Eastern oil production.
On August 6, the UN imposes an embargo on Iraq. Saudi Arabia allows American troops to deploy on its territory, marking the beginning of Operation Desert Shield. US President George H.W. Bush outlines the coalition's objectives: the complete withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait and the restoration of Kuwait's legitimate government. A diverse coalition of 42 countries, spearheaded by the US, UK, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Kuwait, gathers forces and resources.
Saddam orders his army to build extensive defensive lines around Kuwait, utilizing trenches filled with oil, minefields, and artillery. He hopes that casualty-averse Western nations will be unwilling to attack well-fortified positions. Saddam's attempts to divide the coalition by taking foreign nationals hostage and later releasing them fail. The UN sets a withdrawal deadline of January 16, 1991, which Saddam ignores, leading to the launch of Operation Desert Storm.
On January 17, 1991, coalition forces initiate a massive air campaign over Iraq. Apache helicopters and missiles target Iraqi radar, blinding air defenses. Stealth jets and other aircraft conduct over 1,300 sorties on the first day, targeting airfields and shelters. The Iraqi air force is suppressed, and air supremacy is quickly achieved. Baghdad is heavily bombed, but Iraqi defenses down only 12 American aircraft throughout the campaign. Iraq responds by setting Kuwaiti oil wells on fire and launching Scud missiles at Israel and Saudi Arabia in an attempt to fracture the coalition, but Israel refrains from retaliation.
On February 24, 500,000 coalition troops launch the ground offensive, employing a 'left hook' movement to cut off Kuwait and the Iraqi army. American and British units lead direct attacks, breaking through Iraqi defenses with tanks equipped with bulldozer blades. Marine divisions advance rapidly, taking thousands of prisoners. American M1A1 Abrams tanks prove superior to Iraqi tanks, largely due to better firepower, stabilization, and thermal vision. By February 26, 24 Iraqi divisions are defeated. Retreating Iraqi troops are trapped and decimated on the 'Highway of Death' by coalition airpower, leading to the near-complete collapse of the Iraqi army.
With Kuwait liberated, President Bush declares a ceasefire on February 28, 1991. However, the coalition decides against pursuing Saddam into Iraq or overthrowing his regime, wary of destabilizing the region. Inspired by US calls for rebellion, Shi'ite and Kurdish minorities launch uprisings against Saddam's rule. The coalition, divided on intervention, offers limited support, and Saddam's loyalist forces brutally crush the revolts by early April. The war, while a military success for the coalition, leads to unresolved internal conflicts in Iraq and the 'Gulf War Syndrome' affecting many veterans.