Short term causes

Defiance 1990 Saddam Hussein begins defying the West Why is this strategic? March 1990 Frazad Bazoft, worked for British paper The Observer, executed in Iraq on spying charges British intellegences intercepted items necessary for WMD’s April- Hussein makes threats on Israel Gave financial aid to the Intifada Claimed the enemy of Arabs is “Greater Israel”

Iraq and Kuwait 1930 Kuwait becomes free of British protectorate, Iraq claims the land as theirs. Rumaila oilfield is on Iraq-Kuwait border and they can’t agree on how to exploit the oil.

It’s all about money… Arab summit in Feb 1990, Hussein asks King Hussein (Jordan) and Pres. Mubarak (Egypt) to cancel all Iraqi war loans and asked for additional funds of $30b. Both are denied Requested that Kuwait keep to OPEC quotas. More oil in market=less price. Kuwait wanted to overproduce so people became dependent on OPEC oil, this hurt Hussein who needed money ASAP.

Accusations Hussein says Kuwait stole $2b of oil from the Rumaila oilfield. Claims Iraq is broke because of overproduction Claimed that Kuwait’s refusal to cancel war debts= a military aggression At the same time, Hussein begins moving his Republican Guard towards Kuwait

Give peace a chance… 27 July 1990 OPEC puts official oil price at $18-21 a barrel as requested by Iraq 31 July Iraqi and Kuwaiti delegates meet in Saudi Arabia. Little progress made and Iraq leaves talks Hussein meet with US delegates and gets the impression US will do nothing to stop a Kuwait invasion. US issued NO warning against Iraq as they moved closer to Kuwait

Invasion 2 August the Iraqi invasion launched of Kuwait with 100,000 soldiers and 2,000 tanks 12 hours later, most of Kuwait conquered, Royal family flees to Saudi Arabia 28 August, Kuwait proclaimed the 19 th province of Iraq

Reaction Aggression of one UN country against another Iraq now would have about 20% of OPEC’s oil- too much power for US to accept Possible attack coming against Saudi Arabia- this would mean Iraq would control most of OPEC oil- unacceptable amount of power Arab countries upset that one Arab had invaded another Arab.

The Coalition Sanctions from the UN- even Soviets supported King Fahd of Saudi Arabia allows US forces to enter as protection. 8 Aug US troops arrive—Operation Desert Shield 10 Aug- Arab league condemns Iraq’s occupation and dispatches Arab troops to join US

Try peace again! Hope was negotiations combined with sanctions would end this 12 August Hussein says if US troops leave Saudi Arabia, Syrian troops leave Lebanon and Israeli troops leave Occupied Territories..then he might consider a peace plan. Strategy was to play for more time and divide the coalition by appealing to the Palestinian issue.

New terminology Human shields- Hussein threatened to use civilian hostages during conflict WMD’s- weapons of mass destruction Gulf War syndrome- A highly controversial syndrome involving a constellation of illnesses experienced by 5,000 to 80,000 American veterans who were in the Gulf War. Unsure if it’s from a toxin or mental illness. Bradley- M2 Bradley Armored Personel Carrier

Kevlar- helmet/protection Acquired through Non Standard means- can’t get approval, so they “acquire” what is needed Green Zone- heavily guarded area, palaces, government workers

Why didn’t we scare Hussein? 15 January Allied forces had 555,000 troops with more arriving The might of the American war machine was present Belief is Hussein didn’t think US would actually risk war 16 January Operation Desert Storm begins