Amanda Alvarado, Sabrina Nunez, Cortney Mitchell, and Jonah Rodriguez

The Gulf War

August 2nd, 1990

• Saddam Hussein accused Kuwait of stealing oil, Iraqi tanks swept into Kuwait, waging an “economic war”.

• Military forces invaded and occupied Kuwait, as U.S. involvement was immediate.

• Sheikh Jaber Al Sabah, the emir of Kuwait met with the then Secretary of Defense, Richard Cheney.

Long Term Causes

• Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990

• The Shi’ites came to power in Iran and their claim was to Shi’ite spiritual leadership, not to muslims

• Propaganda against Saddam Hussein

• Iran supported Kurdish people in Iraq in their struggle against Iraq government

Long Term Causes cont.

• Hussein invaded Iran

• Iraq owed debts to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia

• U.S. supported Iraq during the 1980’so gave them food, supplies, and fire armso France also gave Iraq weapons

• The Soviet influence was waning under Mikhail Gorbachev, the U.S. stepped in

Short Term Causes

• a British journalist was executed in Iraq for “spying”

• British intercepted items of technology that were necessary for long term missiles and WMD

• Saddam made a threat to use chemical weapons against Israel

Short Term Causes cont.

• Iraq was in economic crisis and needed Kuwait to helpo Saddam requested cancellation of wartime loans

and wanted extra money, he was refused. o Iraq requested that Kuwait keep to the OPEC quotas

for oil output so that they could receive more money on high oil prices

• Iraq claimed Kuwait stole oil from Rumaila field

Causes of U.S. involvement

• act of aggression by one U.N. country to another

• Iraq would have too much influence in OPEC

• possibility of an attack on Saudi Arabia

• all of this was leading to regional instability among the Arab states.

Nature of the War-operations and strategies

• Before the UN voted to approve another resolution, the US involved itself in Saudi Arabia in an operation called Desert Shield

• This “prewar” phase was a precaution to protect Saudi Arabia from Iraqi invasion, thus protecting American interest in oil

• Operation Desert Storm came to be after the resolution was approved

Operation Desert Storm

pretty much the entire war

four developments:

• precision-guided munitions

• night-vision devices

• space-based systems

• “stealth” technology

Desert Storm con’t

Air warfare

• tech-superiority of the US

• 89% of US missiles hit their targets

• “smart” bombso thermal imaging, laser designation systemso were able to drop bombs with night cover thanks to

developments in night vision technology = air supremacy

Desert Storm con’t

Land warfare

• sophisticated tank technologyo used GPS to navigate through the desert o nightvision

allowed for around the clock combat

• AirLand Doctrineo airstrikes took out mines, then the land strike would

come in; this successfully drove Iraq from Kuwait

Desert Storm con’t

Sea Warfare

• coordination was key

• six carrier battle groups (US contributed most to sea effort)

• small space to work with

• enforced embargo, supported airstrikes, diversion

● Iraq had been defeated and forced to pull out of Kuwait○ No real change in the Middle East

● “New world order” proposed by President Bush, not too accurate.

● Wars started - USSR & Yugoslavia

Effects of the Gulf War

● USA >150 killed in action● 1,500 men died due to illness, accidents, or

friendly fireEnvironmental Damage● Very large impact due to the war

○ Accusations on Iraq - 400 million gallons of crude gas.

Casualities

Desert Storm ● Lead to a new world unipolar order● USA becomes dominant role with world

problems● Ultimately led to the Iraq War of 2003● Removal of Saddam Hussein from power

Political Effects

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmO7IU7bPm4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ0BIVbFGc4