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The Persian Gulf War of 1990

The Persian Gulf War of 1990 was a turning point in the twentieth century. It was the first major international conflict to be fought as the cold war was ending, and it featured an unprecedented level of international cooperation. For the first time since World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union found themselves on the same side in a military conflict. Indeed, the world at large united in its condemnation of Saddam Hussein's invasion of neighboring Kuwait. This unanimity, however, was not solely the result of the injustice committed on the Kuwaiti people. It was also due to the strategic importance of the Middle East and its oil resources. Once the United States determined that it would enter, the rest of the world was faced with the possibility that the US would control the oil supply. This paper will analyze the events th`t led to the war and highlight the motivations and strategic concerns of the major players involved.

Before analyzing the coalition that was created, we will consider Iraq's belligerence towards its neighbor Kuwait. Iraq had recently ended its decades long war with Iran and had emerged as the dominant military force in the Arab world. Indeed, "the West and many Arab states had accepted Saddam Hussein's regime as 'moderate' and 'pragmatic,' while Iraq's military strength and possession of weapons of mass destruction gave it immense regional influence" (Cordesman 37). After Iraq had destroyed 40 to 60 percent of Iran's major weapons in the final battles of the Iran-Iraq war, and though Iraq faced major wartime debt the reality was that this debt could have been renegotiated or even forgiven. Having defeated its neighbor, Iraq faced no other major military or political threats in the region (Cordesman 37).

Iraq justified its invasion of Kuwait by claiming it was liberating territory that had been stolen from it by Britain. In reality, however, the nation of Iraq was created by Britain ...

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The Persian Gulf War of 1990. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 06:03, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1688541.html