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Persian Gulf War: An Overview
Military History > Persian Gulf War > An Overview
The Persian Gulf War (January to February 1991) was an international effort to stop madman Iraqi dictator—Saddam Hussein—from controlling the world's oil supply. Hussein had been terrorizing his Middle Eastern neighbors for years, with little outside interference. It wasn't until he captured Kuwait, a critical source of international oil, that he invited worldwide intervention. Iraq's massive military engulfed its defenseless neighbor Kuwait in a single day. But Hussein's success was short-lived. Thirty-two nations sought violent retribution, and in seven months liberated Kuwait, crushed Iraq's military and nullified Hussein's threat to world oil reserves.
Causes
Saddam Hussein, like other historical power mongers, was the primary cause of the Persian Gulf War. His ego and religious beliefs led him to habitually aggress on other nations with intent to dominate. Hussein began his quest for supremacy as a young man. By 31 years of age, he was an established villain, credited with an assassination attempt and participation in two coups. Eleven years later, he completed his murderous climb to President, the most powerful position in Iraq. But this small time dictator had even bigger plans. Hussein quickly built the fourth largest conventional military in the world, and turned his manic gaze toward his Iranian brothers. Under the auspices of a "border dispute," he invaded Iran. The two Arab nations slugged it out for eight years—thousands perished on both sides—but neither gained ground. Throughout this aggressive struggle, world powers appeared indifferent.
Hussein's actions failed to command international attention until August 2, 1990, when he conquered Kuwait and amassed troops along the Saudi Arabian border. In one day, the crazed Iraqi ruler had crossed the line between acceptable regional dictator and intolerable international terror. Hussein had tipped the balance of world power, and his crusade for global oil control had to be stopped. The United Nations ordered him to withdraw from Kuwait, and initiated a trade embargo on Iraq. Saudi Arabia, terrified they were Hussein's next oil supply target, begged the United States to protect them. The day after U.S. forces arrived to guard Saudi Arabia, Hussein declared a "jihad" or holy war against the United States and Israel. His refusal to cooperate forced 32 nations to form a coalition against Iraq, led by U.S. General Norman Schwarzkopf. The subsequent buildup of coalition forces in Saudi Arabia became known as Operation Desert Shield.
Operations Desert Storm & Sabre
Following ineffective sanctions on Iraq, the United Nations set a deadline for Iraqi troop withdrawal from Kuwait—January 15, 1991. Hussein ignored this fair warning and rejected all attempts at peace. On January 12, 1991, U.S. President George Bush received Congressional approval to begin the Persian Gulf War. Operation Desert Storm, the Allied air assault, was launched by the United States and coalition forces on January 17, 1991. In a one-day blitz of high-tech weaponry, Allied air power blinded Iraq's military by attacking their air defense and communication centers. Coalition bombers then proceeded to destroy Iraq's weapons facilities, oil plants, bridges, government buildings and air bases.
Operation Desert Sabre, the coalition ground war against Iraq, began on February 24, 1991. In preparation for a land assault by coalition armies, Allied bombers attacked Iraq's infantry, bunkers and tanks. After weakening Iraq's ground defenses, coalition armies were deployed to liberate Kuwait. The armies drove toward Kuwait City, but their mission was jeopardized by Hussein's menacing tanks and anti-tank vehicles, perched defensively on the city's outskirts. Iraq's armored reserves posed a threat that had to dealt with. The Allies' critical maneuver was a brilliant "left hook," executed primarily by armored forces, who found a hole in Iraq's western defense lines over 120 miles away. They swung around the lines and ripped into Iraq's armored reserves from the rear. A final stand by Iraqi armored units was crushed. By February 27, 1991, the Persian Gulf War was over.
Outcome
The Persian Gulf War forcibly liberated Kuwait and preserved the world's oil supply. Saddam Hussein's military was devastated along with his economy, and several parts of Iraq broke out in civil war. It would have been easy for coalition forces to silence Hussein forever, yet they oddly chose to leave him in control of Iraq. In return for his life, Hussein went out of his way to disobey coalition peace terms. For his repeated belligerence, provocations, and attempted assassination of former U.S. President George Bush, several NATO nations were compelled to launch punitive air raids against Iraq in 1993. But no further action was taken. To this day, the one time international terror—Saddam Hussein—retains complete control of Iraq.
For more information, please visit our Persian Gulf War section.
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