The Persian Gulf War of 1990
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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
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ce the economies of the advanced industrial nations (DOD 21).
The Department of Defense, then, was remarkably candid about one of the main reasons behind the swift American intervention in the Gulf War.
Saudi Arabia, staring across its border with Kuwait at amassing Iraqi troops, quickly came to the decision that it needed American help to stave off an invasion. As the final Department of Defense report on the Persian Gulf War coolly noted, "Saddam's seizure of Kuwait, left unanswered, threatened Saudi Arabia and its vast oil resources, in particular" (DOD 21). Notice once again the particular emphasis on Saudi Arabia's oil resources, one of prime albeit seldom talked about motives for the swift military intervention. On August 6, responding to the imminent Iraqi threat, King Fahd asked the US to send troops into Saudi Arabia in order to protect the kingdom against possible Iraqi `ggression. The ensuing deployment of American troops to Saudi Arabia was called "Operation Desert Shield;" the build-up of American and international forces continued for roughly six months (Murphy).
As Operation Desert Shield turned into Operation Desert Storm, the military coalition arrayed against Iraq included 34 countries: Argentina, Aus
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Approximate Word count = 2319
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)
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