Social Studies: The Invasion of Kuwait

Social studies nones Chapter 1 The Invasion of capital of capital of capital of capital of capital of capital of capital of Kuwait, in like manner know as the Iraq-Kuwait contend, was a major encroach amid the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which returned in the s eventide-month coarse Iraki occupation of Kuwait, which accomp whatsoeveringly led to direct army intervention by unify States-led forces in the disconnect fight. edit Dispute oer the financial debt Kuwait had heavily funded the 8 year long Iraki fight against Iran. By the time the war ended, Iraq was not in a financial position to repay the $14 cardinal it borrowed from Kuwait to finance its war. 6 Iraq argued that the war had prevented the rise of Iranian influence in the Arab World. However, Kuwaits reluctance to exculpate the debt created strains in the relationship betwixt the two Arab countries. During deep 1989, around(prenominal) functionary meetings were held amid the Kuwaiti and I raki leaders but they were unable to retard the deadlock between the two. edit Economic warfare and slant drilling agree to George Piro, the FBI interrogator who questioned ibn Talal Hussein Hussein afterwards his capture (in 2003), Iraq tried repaying its debts by raising the prices of oil color through and through OPECs oil production cuts.However, Kuwait, a extremity of the OPEC, prevented a global increase in petroleum prices by change magnitude its proclaim petroleum production, thus lowering the price and preventing reco truly of the war-crippled Iraki deliverance. 7 This was seen by nigh in Iraq as an act of aggression, further distancing the countries. The feed in oil prices had a catastrophic electric shock on the Iraki economy. According to former Iraki Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz, every US$1 drop in the price of a barrel of oil ca utilize a US$1 billion drop in Iraqs one-year revenues triggering an acute financial crisis in Baghdad. 5 It was estimated tha t Iraq garbled US$14 billion a year due to Kuwaits oil price strategy. 8 The Iraki brass described it as a form of stinting warfare, which it claimed was aggravated by Kuwaits both in alleged slant-drilling across the circumference into Iraqs Rumaila battle institute. The dispute oer Rumaila field started in 1960 when an Arab confederacy declaration marked the Iraq-Kuwait beach 2 miles north of the reciprocal ohmern- most(prenominal) pointedness of the Rumaila field. 9 During the IranIraq state of war, Iraki oil drilling operations in Rumaila declined speckle Kuwaits operations increased.In 1989, Iraq acc apply Kuwait of using sophisticated drilling techniques to pink oil from its share of the Rumaila field. Iraq estimated that US$2. 4 billion worth of Iraki oil was stolen by Kuwait and withdrawed compensation. 1011 Kuwait dismissed the accusations as a false Iraqi ploy to honestful(prenominal)ify phalanx challenge against it. several(prenominal) American firm s conveying in the Rumaila field likewise dismissed Iraqs slant-drilling claims as a smokescreen to disguise Iraqs more ambitious intentions. 9 edit Kuwaits lucrative economy After the IranIraq War, the Iraqi economy was struggling to rec everywhere.Iraqs civil and military debt was higher(prenominal) than its state budget. Most of its ports were layed, oil fields mined, and traditional oil customers lost. patronage having a total lend area 1/25th of Iraq, Kuwaits coastline was doubly as long as Iraqs and its ports were some of the busiest in the Persian gulf region. The Iraqi brass workly realized that by seizing Kuwait, it would be able to solve or so of its financial problems and consolidate its regional authority. cod to its relatively scummy size, Kuwait was seen by Baghdad as an unprovoked target as well as a historically intact part of Iraq separated by British imperialism.The Persian gulf War (2 haughty 1990 28 February 1991), unremarkably referred to as the Gulf War, and alike cognize as the First Gulf War1213, the Second Gulf War,1415 by Iraqi leader ibn Talal Hussein Hussein as The Mother of all Battles,16 and comm precisely as Desert combat for the military response, was the final conflict, which was initiated with fall in Nations indorsement, by a concretion force from 34 nations against Iraq, with the expressed purpose of waiver Iraqi forces from Kuwait after its onset and annexation on 2 solemn 1990.The invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi host that began 2 frightful 1990 was met with representingwide condemnation, and brought immediate economic sanctions against Iraq by members of the UN Security Council. U. S. ch ancestrywoman George H. W. pubic h straining positioned American forces to Saudi-Arabian-Arabian-Arabian-Arabian Arabia and urged other countries to send their own forces to the scene. An forces of nations joined the compression of the Gulf War. The bang-up majority of the military forces in the union were from the United States, with Saudi Arabia, the United officedom and Egypt as leash contributors, in that effectuate.Around US$40 billion of the US$60 billion cost was paid by Saudi Arabia. 17 The initial conflict to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait began with an aerial bombardment on 17 January 1991. This was followed by a earthly concern assault on 23 February. This was a decisive victory for the coalition forces, who change stated Kuwait and advanced into Iraqi territorial dominion. The coalition ceased their advance, and state a cease- absquatulate ascorbic acid mos after the scope running play started. Aerial and ground besiege was confined to Iraq, Kuwait, and areas on the border of Saudi Arabia.However, Iraq launched missiles against coalition military targets in Saudi Arabia. nurture information Iraq-United States relations Throughout much of the Cold War, Iraq had been an ally of the Soviet Union, and there was a history of friction between it and the United States. The U. S. was concern with Iraqs position on IsraeliPalestinian politics, and its disapproval of the nature of the heartsease between Israel and Egypt. The U. S. also disliked Iraqi keep going for various Arab and Palestinian militant groups such as Abu Nidal, which led to its inclusion on the growing U.S. list of state sponsors of international terrorism on 29 declination 1979. The U. S. re chief(prenominal)ed officially neutral after the invasion of Iran, which became the IranIraq War, although it assisted Iraq covertly. In sue 1982, however, Iran began a successful counteroffensive subprogram Undeniable Victory, and the United States increased its support for Iraq to prevent Iran from forcing a surrender. In a U. S. bid to open in force(p) diplomatic relations with Iraq, the country was removed from the U. S. ist of state sponsors of terrorism. Ostensibly this was beca map of advance in the regimes record, although former United States Assistant depository of D efense Noel Koch later stated, No one had both doubts about the Iraqis move involvement in terrorism The real reason was to help them quest for in the war against Iran. 18 With Iraqs immature found success in the war, and its spurn of a peace offer in July, arms sales to Iraq reached a record spike in 1982. An obstacle, however, remained to any potential U.S. -Iraqi relationship Abu Nidal go along to operate with official support in Baghdad. When Iraqi ch bareman Saddam Hussein expelled the group to Syria at the United States request in November 1983, the Reagan organization direct Donald Rumsfeld to meet President Hussein as a particular(prenominal) envoy and to cultivate ties. Main article Invasion of Kuwait By the time the ceasefire with Iran was signed in terrific 1988, Iraq was virtually bankrupt, with almost of its debt owed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.Iraq pressured both nations to forgive the debts, but they refused. Kuwait was also accused by Iraq of exceeding its OPEC quotas and driving down the price of oil, thus further ache the Iraqi economy. The collapse in oil prices had a catastrophic impact on the Iraqi economy. The Iraqi Government described it as a form of economic warfare, which it claimed was aggravated by Kuwait slant-drilling across the border into Iraqs Rumaila oil field. 19 Iraq claimed Kuwait had been a part of the Ottoman Empires tree trunk politic of Basra.Its judgment dynasty, the al-Sabah family, had concluded a protectorate agreement in 1899 that assigned righteousness for its foreign aff transmission lines to Britain. Britain drew the border between the two countries, and advisedly tried to limit Iraqs access to the ocean so that any emerging Iraqi government would be in no position to exist Britains domination of the Persian Gulf. Iraq refused to remove the border, and did not recognize the Kuwaiti government until 1963. 20 In early July, Iraq complained about Kuwaits behavior, such as not respecting the ir quota, and openly terrorened to take military action.On the 23rd, the CIA inform that Iraq had moved 30,000 troops to the Iraq-Kuwait border, and the U. S. maritime fleet in the Persian Gulf was placed on alert. On the 25th, Saddam Hussein met with April Glaspie, an American ambassador, in Baghdad. At that meeting, Glaspie told the Iraqi delegation, We dupe no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts. On the 31st, negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait in Jeddah failed fantasticly. 21 On 2 August 1990 Iraq launched an invasion with its warplanes, bombard Kuwait City, the Kuwaiti capital.The main thrust was conducted by commandos deployed by helicopters and boats to approach shot the city, piece of music other divisions seized the airports and two airbases. In spite of Iraqi sabre-rattling, Kuwait did not have its forces on alert, and was caught unaware. After two sidereal eld of incisive combat, most of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces were either overrun by the Iraqi republican Guar d, or had escaped to neighboring Saudi Arabia. After the decisive Iraqi victory, Saddam Hussein installed his cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid as the governor of Kuwait. 22Saddam Hussein detained several Westerners, with video footage shown on state television On 23 August 1990 President Saddam appeared on state television with Western hostages to whom he had refused exit visas. In the video, he patted a small British male child named Stuart Lockwood on the buns. Saddam consequently asks, through his interpreter, Sadoun al-Zubaydi, whether Stuart is getting his milk. Saddam went on to say, We hope your presence as invitees here will not be for too long. Your presence here, and in other places, is meant to prevent the scourge of war. 23 inwardly hours of the invasion, Kuwaiti and U. S. delegations requested a meeting of the UN Security Council, which passed Resolution 660, decry the invasion and demanding a detachment of Iraqi troops. On 3 August the Arab League passed its own resol ution, which called for a solution to the conflict from within the League, and warned against distant intervention. On 6 August UN Resolution 661 placed economic sanctions on Iraq. United Nations Security Council Resolution 665 followed soon after, which authorized a naval blockade to enforce the economic sanctions against Iraq.It said the use of measures commensurate to the circumstantial circumstances as may be necessary to halt all inward and outward maritime shipping in order to take stock and verify their cargoes and destinations and to reassure strict implementation of resolution 661. 24 One of the main concerns of the west was the significant threat Iraq posed to Saudi Arabia. Following the triumph of Kuwait, the Iraqi army was within easy striking distance of Saudi oil fields. Control of these fields, along with Kuwaiti and Iraqi reserves, would have precondition Hussein contain over the majority of the worlds oil reserves.Iraq also had a human body of grievances wi th Saudi Arabia. The Saudis had lent Iraq some 26 billion dollars during its war with Iran. The Saudis backed Iraq, as they feared the influence of Shia Irans Islamic revolution on its own Shia minority (most of the Saudi oil fields are in territory populated by Shias). After the war, Saddam felt he should not have to repay the loans due to the help he had given the Saudis by stopping Iran. Soon after his conquest of Kuwait, Hussein began verbally assail the Saudi kingdom. He argued that the U. S. back up Saudi state was an illegitimate and execrable guardian of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. He combined the language of the Islamist groups that had juvenilely fought in Afghanistan with the rhetoric Iran had long used to attack the Saudis. 25 Acting on the insurance policy of the Carter Doctrine, and out of fear the Iraqi army could launch an invasion of Saudi Arabia, U. S. President George H. W. crotch hair quickly announced that the U. S. would launch a all told prote ctive mission to prevent Iraq from invading Saudi Arabia under the codename Operation Desert Shield. Operation Desert Shield began on 7 August 1990 when U.S. troops were sent to Saudi Arabia due also to the request of its monarch, King Fahd who had earlier called for U. S. military assistance. 26 This wholly defensive doctrine was quickly abandoned, as on 8 August, Iraq declared Kuwait to be the 19th province of Iraq and Saddam Hussein named his cousin, Ali Hassan Al-Majid as its military-governor. 27 sac of Kuwait Main article Liberation of Kuwait campaign American decoy attacks by air attacks and naval gunfire the night earlier the liberation of Kuwait were designed to make the Iraqis believe the main coalition ground attack would boil down on Central Kuwait.On 23 February 1991, the 1st Marine Division, due south Marine Division, and the 1st Light Armored Infantry crossed into Kuwait and headed toward Kuwait City. They overran the well designed, but poorly fight downed, Iraqi trenches in the rootage hardly a(prenominal) hours. The Marines crossed Iraqi barbed wire obstacles and mines, then booked Iraqi tanks, which surrendered shortly thereafter. Kuwaiti forces soon attacked Kuwait City, to which the Iraqis offered frail resistance. The Kuwaitis lost one soldier and one aircraft, and quickly liberated the city.Most Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait opted to surrender rather than fight. edit Initial moves into Iraq edit Coalition forces tangle with Iraq General Colin Powell briefs then U. S. President George H. W. Bush and his advisors on the emanation of the ground war Shortly afterwards, the U. S. sevener army corps assembled in in force(p) strength and, spearheaded by the 3rd Squadron of the 2nd Armored Cavalry regiment (3/2 ACR), launched an armored attack into Iraq early on 24 February, just to the west of Kuwait, taking Iraqi forces by surprise. Simultaneously, the U. S.XVIII mobile Corps launched a sweeping left-hook attack across the more often than not undefended surrender of southern Iraq, led by the 3rd outfit Cavalry sway (3rd ACR) and the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized)). The left flank of this movement was protected by the cut 6th Light Armoured Division Daguet). The French force quickly overcame the Iraqi 45th Infantry Division, suffering and a small come in of casualties and taking a large number of prisoners, and took up blocking positions to prevent an Iraqi counter-attack on the Coalition flank.The right flank of the movement was protected by the British 1st Armoured Division. Once the allies had penetrated deep into Iraqi territory, they turned eastward, launching a flank attack against the selected republican Guard before it could escape. The meshing lasted only a few hours. 50 Iraqi armored vehicles were destroyed, with few coalition losses. On 25 February 1991 however, Iraq launched a scud missile attack on Coalition barracks in Dharan, Saudi Arabia. The missile attack killed 28 American milit ary personnel. 44The mixture of civilian and military vehicles on the lane of Death The Coalition advance was much swifter than U. S. generals had expected. On 26 February, Iraqi troops began retreating from Kuwait, after they had set its oil fields on fire (737 oil wells were set on fire). A long convoy of retreating Iraqi troops formed along the main Iraq-Kuwait highway. Although they were retreating, this convoy was bombed so extensively by Coalition air forces that it came to be known as the Highway of Death. Hundreds of Iraqi troops were killed.Forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France continued to pursue retreating Iraqi forces over the border and back into Iraq, fighting frequent battles which resulted in plugive losses for the Iraqi side and light losses on the coalition side, eventually moving to within 150 miles (240 km) of Baghdad before withdrawing from the Iraqi border. One hundred hours after the ground campaign started, on 28 February, President Bush declared a cease-fire, and he also declared that Kuwait had been liberated. CAUSES OF CONFLICTThere are three grassroots causes to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. First, Iraq had long considered Kuwait to be a part of Iraq. This claim led to several confrontations over the historic period (see below), and continued enmity. Also, it can be argued that with Saddam Husseins act invasion of Iran defeated, he sought easier conquests against his weak southern neighbors. Second, rich deposits of oil straddled the ill-defined border and Iraq constantly claimed that Kuwaiti oil rigs were illegally tapping into Iraqi oil fields. centre Eastern deserts make border delineation difficult and this has caused many conflicts in the region. Finally, the fallout from the First Persian Gulf War between Iraq and Iran strained relations between Baghdad and Kuwait. This war began with an Iraqi invasion of Iran and degenerated into a bloody form of trench warfare as the Iranians tardily dr ove Saddam Husseins armies back into Iraq. Kuwait and many other Arab nations supported Iraq against the Islamic Revolutionary government of Iran, fearful that Saddams defeat could herald a wave of Iranian-inspired revolution passim the Arab world.Following the end of the war, relations between Iraq and Kuwait deteriorated with a lack of gratitude from the Baghdad government for help in the war and the reawakening of old issues regarding the border and Kuwaiti sovereignty. 1973, demo- Iraq occupies as-Samitah, a border patch on Kuwait-Iraq border. Dispute began when Iraq demanded the right to occupy the Kuwaiti islands of Bubiyan and Warbah. Saudi Arabia and the Arab League convinced Iraq to withdraw. 1980-1988- Kuwait supports Iraq in the First Persian Gulf War with Iran.DESCRIPTION OF CONFLICT Amid growing tension between the two Persian Gulf neighbors, Saddam Hussein concluded that the United States and the rest of the external world would not interfere to defend Kuwait. On A ugust 2, 1990, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait and quickly seized control of the small nation. Within twenty-four hourss, the United States, along with the United Nations, demanded Iraqs immediate withdrawal. U. S. and other UN member nations began deploying troops in Saudi Arabia within the week, and the world-wide coalition began to form under UN authority.By January of 1991, over fractional a million allied troops were deployed in Saudi Arabia and throughout the Gulf region. Intense diplomacy between U. S. and Iraqi officials failed to wager an Iraqi withdrawal, so, on January 16, 1991, confederative forces began the devastating bombing of Iraq and her forces in Kuwait. The ally bombing sought to damage Iraqs infrastructure so as to hinder her strength to make war while also hurting both civilian and military morale. To counter the air attack, Saddam ordered the launching of his feared gouge missiles at both Israel and Saudi Arabia.He hoped to provoke the Israelis into strikin g back at Iraq, which he theorized would split the Arab nations from the anti-Iraq coalition due to the ongoing hostility between Israel and the Arab world. Israel came very close to retaliating, but held back due to President George Bushs pledge to protect Israeli cities from the SCUDs. As a result of this promise, U. S. nationalist missile batteries found themselves deployed in Israel to shoot down the SCUDs. Another result of the SCUD launches was to divert Allied air violence from arrive atting the Iraqi army to hunting for the elusive mobile missile launchers.Even so, the Allied air strikes and cruise missile attacks against Iraq proved more devastating than expected. When the Allied armies launched the ground war on February 23, the Iraqi occupation forces in Kuwait were already beaten. Cut off from their supply bases and headquarters by the intense air campaign, thousands of Iraqi soldiers simply gave up rather than fight, as the assort pushed through Iraqs defenses with r elative ease. In the few cases where the more elite Iraqi forces, such as the Republican Guard, stood and fought, superior American, British and French equipment and rearing proved the undoing of the Soviet-equipped Iraqis.By February 26, U. S. and Allied Arab forces, along with the underground Kuwaiti Resistance, controlled Kuwait City and Allied air forces pounded the retreating Iraqi occupation army. In southern Iraq, Allied armored forces stood at the Euphrates River near Basra, and internal rebellions began to to-do out against Saddams regime. On February 27, President Bush ordered a cease-fire and the surviving Iraqi troops were allowed to escape back into southern Iraq. On March 3, 1991, Iraq accepted the terms of the cease-fire and the fighting ended. CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICTSaddams plump for war of foreign conquest ended even worse than the low gear one. Iraq again stood defeated with the liberation of Kuwait. Despite the crushing defeat and subsequent Shiite and Kurdis h rebellions, Saddams government retained a strong grip on power in Iraq. As a result of the cease-fire terms, Iraq had to accept the imposition of no-fly zones over her territory and United Nations weapons inspection teams sifting through her nuclear and other weapons programs. The economic and trade sanctions begun during the war continue to the puzzle day, ontributing to severe economic hardship in Iraq. Some reports say hundreds of thousands of children have died due to the sanctions. There are no indications that the government or military suffer undo hardships. While the world (and the United States and Europe), concentrated on Iraq, Syria moved to crush the last resistance to her de facto control of Lebanon, thus shutdown that countrys long civil war. It is believed that Syrias President Assad was given a free quite a little to deal with Lebanon in return for joining the war in Kuwait.Its also believed there was a cash for annuity payment agreed upon When Yemen declared sy mpathy for Iraq, Saudi Arabia expelled upwards of a million Yemeni guest workers, causing economic hardship in Yemen and increased tension between the two neighbors. mark Saudi-Yemen Border Conflict page. CASUALTY FIGURES Update as of August 2, 2009 Iraq Original figures listed 100,000 Iraqi military dead, but more recent estimates place Iraqi dead at 20,000 military and 2,300 civilian. United States 148 killed in action, 458 wounded, and one Missing In Action (MIA). Also, 121 Americans died through non-combat incidents.The one MIA (compared to 1,740 MIA in the Vietnam War), was Navy pilot, Captain Michael Scott Speicher was shot down and was neither rescured, nor was a body found until, on August 2, 2009, the Pentagon announced that U. S. Marines stationed in Iraq had found Speichers remains. See also U. S. identifies remains of pilot missing in Persian Gulf WarLA Times, Aug. 2, 2009 Ironically, or perhaps intentionally, the Pentagon announced the recovery of Speichers on the 19th anniversary of Saddam Husseins invasion of Kuwait, which occurred on August 2, 1990, and sparked the following(a) 19 years of war between the U.S. and Iraq. Gulf war (1990-1), a trammel war in which a US-led coalition enjoying overwhelming technological superiority defeated the armed forces of Iraq in a six-week air campaign crowned with a 100-hour land campaign, with minimal coalition casualties. However, the coalition forces failed to destroy the Republican Guard, mainstay of the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who remained a threat primarily because of his continued growth of nuclear and chemical and biological weapons, tether to repeated aftershocks in the form of US and Allied air strikes throughout the 1990s.The proximate cause was the Rumaila oilfield straddling the Iraq-Kuwait border. In mid-July 1990 Saddam claimed that Kuwait had stolen oil from this field by diagonal drilling and refused to pay back loans received from Kuwait to fund the recent Iran-Iraq war, saying that he had been doing the Gulf monarchies dirty work for them. Neither argument was completely without merit. He massed armour on the frontier and after being told by the US ambassador that the USA did not wish to become involved in the dispute, at 01. 0 local time on 2 August the Iraqi columns invaded. Minds were concentrated and Pres Bush denounced the invasion, alarmed that the Iraqis would carry on into Saudi Arabia and thus control half the worlds oil reserves. The UN condemned the invasion in Resolution 660, demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal and on 7 August the USA announced it was sending forces in a joint operation with Egypt and Saudi Arabia DESERT SHIELD.The following day the UK announced it would send forces too, in GRANBY. On 29 November 1990 the Security Council adopt Resolution 678, authorizing the USA-led coalition to use all necessary means against Iraq to liberate Kuwait if it did not withdraw by 15 January 1991. Instead, the Iraqis reinforced the ir positions along the southern Kuwaiti border and by 8 January had an estimated 36 to 38 divisions, each nominally 15, 000 strong but actually considerably less(prenominal).The coalition eventually had about 700, 000 troops in the theatre, with the main ground contributions approach shot from the USA and important contingents from the UK, France, Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, under the operational command of US Gen Schwarzkopf. The maintenance of the coalition, in which Arab states were arrayed with infidels against another Arab state, was pivotal. It was therefore imperative to ensure that Israela target for Iraqi missile attacksshould stay out of the war.The Iraqis were known to have the means to deliver their chemical and biological weapons (CBW) with their al-Hussein missiles, which had a course of 373 miles (600 km), double that of the original Soviet Scud missiles on which they were based. At 02. 38 local time on 17 January DESERT STORM began when US Apache helicopters be gan attacking Iraqi air defence sites near the border to clear a corridor through which a massive air armada then passed, scratch a 43-day air campaign involving 100, 000 sorties.The F-117A Stealth light bomber was very successful in striking key targets in heavily defended Baghdad, as were sea-launched cruise missiles. beforehand(predicate) targets were the Iraqi air defences, electrical power, and command and control facilities, also suspected nuclear and chemical and biological warfare facilities. Although precision-guided munitions got all the publicity thanks to the excellent TV pictures they sent back, the bulk of the heavy weapon delivered were stately bombs.As the campaign continued, the Allies switched to Iraqi ground forces although the elite Republican Guard was less badly damaged than the poorer quality foundation in the forward positions. Schwarzkopf later explained that this was because of his strong concern to avoid his ground troops being held up and rained with CBW. drawframe _The Gulf war, 1991 the land campaign, 24-8 February. Top positions of forces 24 February. Bottom Allied envelopment of Iraqi forces (Click to enlarge)_Early on 18 January Iraq serveed to the air onslaught by attacking Israel, the coalitions most vulnerable point. A missile landed in Tel Aviv, initially reported to have a chemical warhead. The coalition later denied this but the pertinent log, released after the war, recorded it carried cyclo-sarin, a particularly deadly nerve gas. Israel on the watch to counter-attack, but was dissuaded when the USA promised to destroy the Scuds. As a result, a great deal of effort was diverted into the Scud hunt, although the mobile Iraqi missiles proved difficult to find.British and US special forces were also sent in to find and destroy Scuds, with mixed results. The US also used the Patriot, originally an anti-aircraft system, to shoot down incoming missiles, the early time anti-missiles were used in the history of war. Very few incoming missiles were actually hit and those that were broke up, possibly doing even more damage than they would have otherwise. On 20 January, Iraq also began firing missiles at Riyadh, one of which hit a temporary US barracks and inflicted the worst Allied casualties of the war.Schwarzkopf formulated a important military plan of encirclement. While the Iraqis were to have their attention fixed to the south and on the coast by the US Marines, his main effort would be to the west of the main Iraqi forward defences, swinging round skunk them and straight for the Republican Guard. The aim was to conduct a swift, continuous and violent air-land campaign to destroy the Republican Guard Force Corps while minimising friendly force casualties. Aim is to make Iraqi forces move so that they can be attacked throughout the depth of their formations.After several days of probing and artillery raids, the main ground attack began on 24 February with direct attacks into Kuwait from the sou th by the US Marines and two Saudi task forces. The next day, the outflanking forces swung into action, the main force being the US VII Corps including the 1st British Armoured Division, while the XVIII Airborne Corps including the French 6th Light Daguet Division swung even wider to protect the left flank. The VII Corps hit its breach area with 60 batteries of artillery and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, delivering more explosive power than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.Although Iraq was expected to use CBW, Saddam showed a little tardy discretion and refrained, as there were a number of extremely beastly options the coalition held in reserve, including retaliation in kind or the ravaging of Iraqs extremely vulnerable water-supply system. Late on 25 February he gave the order to withdraw from Kuwait, but the bulk of Iraqi armour was trapped between the Allies closing in from the south and west, and the Gulf and the Euphrates marshes to the east and north.TV pictures of the comprehen sively incinerated Iraqi column that had been attempting to flee Kuwait City raise fears of public revulsion and Pres Bush called a halt after only 100 hours of land campaign. There were also geopolitical considerations. Until the invasion, the West had been pertain to maintain a balance of power between Iraq and Iran in the region, and the Arab members of the coalition might have bolted if the land war had been extended into Iraqi territory. At 08. 00 local time the guns fell silent, andSaddam was to be left with most of the Republican Guard and the freedom to use attack helicopters to crush the rebellions among the Sunni in the south and the Kurds in the north that the coalition had encouraged. Post-war, the extent and sophistication of his weapons go upment programmes came as a shock, and despite UN inspections and economic sanctions that affect mainly the civilian population, there is very little doubt that he has retained some CBW and possibly also some nuclear weapons.Nonet heless, Kuwaits territorial integrity was restored and most of Saddams larger fangs were pulled. The war could only be considered unsuccessful if the hyperbole about human rights that accompanied it had ever been taken seriously by anyone involved. The first phase was Operation Desert Shielda largely defensive operation in which the United States and Saudi Arabia rushed to build up the defensive forces necessary to protect Saudi Arabia and the rest of the gulf, and the United Nations attempted to force Iraq to leave Kuwait through the use of economic sanctions.The United States then led the UN effort to create a broad international coalition with the military forces necessary to liberate Kuwait, and persuaded the United Nations to set a deadline of 15 January 1991 for Iraq to leave Kuwait or face the use of force. The second phase, known as Desert Storm, was the battle to liberate Kuwait when Iraq refused to respond to the UN deadline. The fighting began on 17 January 1991 and ended on 1 March 1991. The UN Coalition liberated Kuwait in a little over six weeks, and involved the intensive use of airpower and armored operations, and the use of new military technologies.The Gulf War left Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in power, but it destroyed nearly all of Iraqs conventional forces and allowed the United Nations to destroy most of Iraqs long? range missiles and chemical weapons and capabilities to develop nuclear weapons. Saddam Hussein almost certainly saw the rapture and annexation of Kuwait as a means of solving Iraqs economic problems, of greatly increasing Iraqs share of world oil reserves, and as a means of demonstrating that Iraq had become the dominant power in the region. Kuwait was confident of adding at least 2 million barrels a day of oil to Iraqs exports of roughly 3. million, and offered the opportunity to double Iraqs total oil reserves, from 100 billion to 198 billion barrels (representing nearly 20% of the worlds total reserves). Although he cont inued to negotiate his demands on oil revenues and debt relief from the Persian Gulf Arab nations, Saddam Hussein ordered his troops to the Kuwait border in July 1990, built up all of the support capabilities necessary to sustain an invasion, and then ordered his forces to invade on 2 August 1990. Kuwait had not kept its forces on alert, and Iraq met little resistance.It seized the entire country within less than two days within a week, Iraq stated that it would annex Kuwait as its nineteenth province. Iraqi forces also deployed along Kuwaits border with Saudi Arabia, with more than five dollar bill Iraqi divisions in position to seize Saudi Arabias oil? rich Eastern Province. Saudi Arabia had only two brigades and limited amounts of airpower to oppose them. Saddam Hussein may have felt that the world would accept his invasion of Kuwait or would fail to mount any effective opposition. However, Saudi Arabia and the other gulf states immediately supported the Kuwaiti government? n? e xile. The Council of the Arab League voted to condemn Iraq on 3 August and demanded its withdrawal from Kuwait. Key Arab states like Algeria, Egypt, and Syria supported Kuwaitalthough Jordan, Libya, Mauritania, the Sudan, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) supported Iraq. Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and most other European nations as well as the United States, Canada, and Japan condemned the invasion. U. S. President George Bush announced on 7 August that the United States would send land, air, and naval forces to the gulf.every bit important, the end of the Cold War allowed the United Nations to take firm action under U. S. initiative. On the day of the invasion, the Security Council voted 140 (Resolution 660) to demand Iraqs immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. The United States, Britain, and Saudi Arabia led the United Nations in forming a broad military coalition under the lead of U. S. Army Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf that deployed the militar y forces necessary to enforce the United Nations sanctions and to defend Saudi Arabia.This was the defensive military operation code? named Desert Shield. On 29 November 1990, the United States obtained a Security Council authorization for the nations allied with Kuwait to use all necessary means if Iraq did not withdraw by 15 January 1991. Key nations like the United States, Britain, France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and several others began to deploy the additional forces necessary to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. In 199091, the United States deployed a total of 527,000 personnel, over 110 naval vessels, 2,000 tanks, 1,800 fixed? ing aircraft, and 1,700 helicopters. Britain deployed 43,000 troops, 176 tanks, 84 combat aircraft, and a naval task force. France deployed 16,000 troops, 40 tanks, attack helicopters, a light armored division, and combat aircraft. Saudi Arabia deployed 50,000 troops, 280 tanks, and 245 aircraft. Egypt contributed 30,200 troops, 2 armored divisions, and 35 0 tanks. Syria contributed 14,000 troops and 2 divisions. Other allied nations, including Canada, Italy, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates deployed a significant portion of their small forces.Iraq responded by building up its military forces in the Kuwait orbit of operations to a total of 336,000 troops and a total of 43 divisions, 3,475 battle tanks, 3,080 other armored vehicles, and 2,475 major artillery weapons. This buildup on both sides made full? scale war steadily more belike and triggered a number of political debates within the West and the Arab world over the need for war. The most important of these debates took place within the United States largely because of President Bushs political leadership, the Congress, after Bush gained UN endorsement, requested such authorization on 8 January 1991.On 12 January the House of Representatives by 250 to 183 and the Senate by 52 to 47 voted to authorize the use of force. Though a number of new efforts were made to persuade Iraq to leave Kuwait in late December and early January, Saddam Hussein refused to withdraw under any practical conditions. Baghdad also continued to expand its military capabilities in Kuwait and along the Iraqi border with Saudi Arabia, and continued its efforts to switch over Kuwait into an Iraqi province. As a result, the UN Security Council voted to ignore but another effort to negotiate with Iraq.On that date, 15 January 1991, President Bush ordered the military offensive to begin. Desert Storm The Air War The Gulf War began early in the morning on 17 January when the United States exploited its intelligence and targeting assets, cruise missiles, and offensive airpower to launch a devastating series of air attacks on Iraqi command and control facilities, communications systems, air bases, and land? based air defenses. During the first hour of the war, U. S. sea? launched cruise missiles and F? 117 stealth aircraft demonstrated they could attack even heavily defended targets like Baghdad.Within three days, a mix of U. S. , British, and Saudi fighter aircraft had established near air superiority. In spite of Iraqs air strength, UN air units shot down a total of thirty? five Iraqi aircraft without a single loss in air? to? air combat. Although Iraq had a land? based air defense system with some 3,000 surface? to? air missiles, the combined U. S. and British air units were able to use electronic warfare systems, antiradiation missiles, and precision air? to? surface weapons to suppress Iraqs longitudinal? range surface? to? air missiles.As a result, Coalition air forces were able rapidly to broaden their targets from attacks on Iraqs air forces and air defenses to assaults on key headquarters, civil and army communications, electronic power plants, and Iraqs facilities for the production of weapons of mass destruction. Victory in the air was achieved by 24 January, when Iraq ceased to attempt diligent air combat. A total of 112 Iraqi aircraft fled to Ir an, and Iraq virtually ceased to use its ground? based radar to target UN aircraft. This created a safe zone at medium and high altitudes that allowed U. S. nd British air units to launch long? range air? to? surface weapons with impunity. The UN air forces were also able to transmute most of their assets to attacks on Iraqi ground forces. For the following thirty days, UN Coalition aircraft attacked Iraqi armor and artillery in the Kuwaiti theater of operations, as well as flying into Iraq itself to bomb Iraqs forward defenses, elite Republican Guard units, air bases and sheltered aircraft, and Iraqs biological, chemical, and nuclear warfare facilities. Iraqs only power to retaliate consisted of launching modified surface? to? urface Scud missiles against targets in Saudi Arabia and Israel, which had remained outside the war forty Scud variants against Israel and forty? six against Saudi Arabia. U. S.? made Patriot missiles in Israel shot down some Scuds, but although the United N ations carried out massive Scud hunts that involved thousands of sorties, it never found and destroyed any Scud missiles on the ground, which demonstrated the risks posed by the proliferation of mobile, long? range missiles. Iraqs Scud strikes could not, however, alter the course of the war. Iraqi ground forces were struck by more than 40,000 air attack sorties U.S. authorities estimated that airpower helped bring about the desertion or capture of 84,000 Iraqi soldiers and destroyed 1,385 Iraqi tanks, 930 other armored vehicles, and 1,155 artillery pieces before the United Nations launched its land offensive. They also estimated that air attacks severely reduced the flow of supplies to Iraqi ground forces in Kuwait and damaged 60 percent of Iraqs major command centers, 70 percent of its military communications, 125 ammunition storage revetments, 48 Iraqi naval vessels, and 75 percent of Iraqs electric powergenerating capability. Desert Storm The Land War The Aftermath of the War