Kuwait was invaded and annexed by Iraq after oil pricing and production conflicts. This resulted in the United Kingdom and the United States leading a coalition of over 35 nations against Iraq. This is known as the 'Gulf War', the 'Persian Gulf War', or the 'First Gulf War'. But what role did these countries play during the war? Were there other reasons for western involvement? What was the aftermath of the Gulf War? Let's find out!
Gulf War Summary
The Gulf War was a major international conflict caused by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait on 2 August 1990, as Iraq believed Kuwait had been influenced by the United States and Israel to undercut their oil prices. Oil was the main export of Iraq, and they used this as an excuse to launch a full-scale invasion of Kuwait, which they completed within only two days.
Fig. 1 - US Troops in Gulf War
As a result of the invasion, Iraq was condemned internationally, which led to economic sanctions against Iraq by members of the UN Security Council. Britain and America initially sent troops to Saudi Arabia. As the war continued, both nations also urged other nations to protect Kuwait. Eventually, several nations joined the coalition. This coalition formed the most significant military alliance since the end of World War II.
Gulf War Period
The First Gulf War ran between the years 1990-1991, and the second Gulf War (the Iraq War) ran between 2003 and 2011.
Gulf War Map
The map below highlights the immense coalition of the Gulf War.
Fig. 2 - Gulf War Coalition Map
Gulf War Timeline
The causes and consequences of the Gulf War spanned 69 years, from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire which placed the UK in control of Kuwait's foreign affairs, to the defeat of Iraq by the Coalition forces.
| Date | Event |
| 1922 | Collapse of the Ottoman Empire. |
| 1922 | Kuwait’s ruling dynasty Al–Sabah agreed upon a protectorate agreement. |
| 17 July, 1990 | Saddam Hussein began a televised verbal attack against Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates for exceeding their export quotas. |
| 1 August, 1990 | The Iraqi government accused Kuwait of drilling across the border into Iraq's Rumaila oil field and demanded $10 billion to recoup their losses; Kuwait had offered an insufficient $500 million. |
| 2 August, 1990 | Iraq ordered an invasion, bombing Kuwait's capital, Kuwait City. |
| 6 August, 1990 | The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 661. |
| 8 August, 1990 | The Provisional Free Government of Kuwait was established by Iraq. |
| 10 August, 1990 | Saddam Hussein appeared on television with Western hostages. |
| 23 August, 1990 | The Arab League passed a resolution condemning Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and supporting the UN's stance. |
| 28 August, 1990 | Iraqi President Saddam Hussein declared Kuwait the 19th province of Iraq. |
| 19 November, 1990 | The UN Security Council passed Resolution 678. |
| 17 January, 1991 | Operation Desert Storm began. |
| 28 February, 1991 | The coalition forces defeated Iraq. |
Did you know? The broadcast of Western hostages resulted in national outrage, and Hussein's "manipulation of children", as quoted by Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd, provoked a storm of outrage in the British public. The British government, still under the rule of Thatcher, knew that they needed to respond and show Saddam Hussein and the British public that such flagrant acts of oppression would not be allowed.
Causes of the First Gulf War
Events in the timeline above show us the build-up of economic and political tensions between the nations and can be seen as the main causes of the Gulf War. Let's have a look at a few in more detail.
Fig. 3 - Gulf War News Conference
Protectorate Agreement
In 1899, Britain and Kuwait signed the Anglo-Kuwaiti Treaty, which gave made Kuwait a British protectorate when WWI began. This protectorate formed the basis for Iraq's claim. This was because the protectorate allowed the UK to determine a new border between Iraq and Kuwait in 1922 at the Conference of Al-ʿUqayr.
Protectorate Agreement
An agreement made between states that allowed a state to control/protect some or all the affairs of another.
The border created by the UK made Iraq almost entirely landlocked, and Iraq felt as though Kuwait had benefited from oil territories that were rightfully theirs. Thus, the Iraqi government felt aggrieved about their loss of territory.
Oil Conflicts
Oil played a profoundly significant role in this conflict. Kuwait was accused of breaking its oil quotas set by OPEC. Iraq was particularly unhappy about this because for the OPEC cartel to maintain steady prices and achieve their decided $18 per barrel, all member nations needed to abide by the quotas set.
However, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates were continually overproducing their oil. Kuwait had to rectify the financial losses from the Iran-Iraq conflict, so the nation continued to exceed its quotas.
OPEC
The Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Oil prices had fallen to $10 a barrel, causing Iraq to lose around $7 billion a year. Iraq accused Kuwait of engaging in economic warfare that was causing the nation exponential revenue loss.
Did you know? To the rest of the world, Saddam Hussein invading and occupying Kuwait seemed like an apparent attempt to acquire Kuwait's oil reserves and a way to cancel the large debt Iraq believed Kuwait owed them.
Iraq's Invasion of Kuwait
Kuwait's 20,000-man army maintained a spirited defence, but the Iraqis nonetheless took Kuwait city without much trouble. Within two days, the Iraqi forces had control of the country, with around 4,200 Kuwaitis estimated to have died in combat. More than 350,000 Kuwaiti refugees fled to Saudi Arabia.
An immediate diplomatic response was given to the invasion.
Resolution 661 imposed a ban on all trade with Iraq and called on member states to protect Kuwait's assets.
The Provisional Free Government of Kuwait was set up to support Iraq's claim that the invasion was an attempt to help the royal Ṣabāḥ dynasty-supporting citizens.
These events all contributed to the beginning of the Cold War.
First Gulf War
In the months to follow the invasion of Kuwait, the U.S. military conducted its largest overseas deployment since World War II. More than 240,000 U.S. troops were in the Gulf by mid-November, with another 200,000 on their way. More than 25,000 British soldiers, 5,500 French soldiers, and 20,000 Egyptian troops were also deployed.
Gulf War Combatants
On 10 August 1990, the Arab League condemned Iraq's invasion, passing a resolution and supporting the UN's stance. This resolution was agreed upon by 12 out of 21 nations in the Arab League. However, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) were among the Arab states who were sympathetic to Iraq and voted against the Arab League's resolution.
Operation Desert Storm
On 28 August 1990, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein declared Kuwait the 19th province of Iraq, and places in Kuwait were renamed. There was no action until 29 November 1990, when, with a vote of 12 to 2, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 678. This resolution authorised the use of force if the Iraqis did not leave Kuwait by 15 January 1991. Iraq refused, and Operation Desert Storm began on 17 January.
Operation Desert Storm relates to the military attacks on Iraqi forces when the UN and Arab League attempted to remove them from Kuwait. The bombardment lasted for five weeks, and on 28 February 1991, the coalition forces defeated Iraq.
Fig. 4 - Operation Desert Storm Map
Operation Desert Storm ended the Gulf War, as President Bush declared a ceasefire and that Kuwait had been liberated. It was a quick operation, and due to the speed enacted, Kuwait was able to return under independent control after only 100 hours of ground conflict.
Gulf War Outcome and Significance
Following Iraq's defeat, Kurds in the North of Iraq and Shias in the South of Iraq rose in revolt. These movements were brutally suppressed by Hussein. As a result of these actions, members of the former Gulf War coalition prohibited the presence of Iraqi aircraft over these areas in "no-fly" zones, this operation was named Southern Watch.
Fig. 5 - An F-117A being towed in front of destroyed Kuwait aircraft shelter
- UN inspectors made sure all illicit weapons were destroyed, and the US and Britain patrolled the skies of Iraq as allies left the coalition.
- In 1998, Iraq's refusal to cooperate with UN inspectors led to a brief resumption of hostilities (Operation Desert Fox). Thereafter, Iraq refused to admit inspectors back into the country.
- The allied forces, namely Britain and America, were concerned with Saddam Hussein's refusal of weapon inspections. They began to arrange his forced removal from power.
The United States and the United Kingdom amassed troops on Iraq's border and ceased further negotiations with Iraq on 17 March 2003. The Bush administration decided to ignore United Nations protocol and proceeded to deliver an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein. This request demanded that Hussein should step down and depart Iraq within 48 hours or face war. Saddam refused to leave, and as a result, the U.S. and the UK invaded Iraq on 20 March 2003, starting the Iraq War.
The First Gulf War - Key takeaways
Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait on 2 August 1990, resulting in international condemnation and economic sanctions against Iraq.
The UN Security Council passed Resolution 678 on 29 November 1990. The resolution authorized the use of force if the Iraqis did not leave Kuwait by 15 January 1991.
Reasons for western intervention were Oil Conflicts, Western Hostages, and the Iraqi presence in Kuwait.
On 17 January 1991, an aerial and naval bombardment began to drive Iraqi troops from Kuwait (Operation Desert Storm). The bombardment lasted for five weeks, and on 28 February 1991, the coalition forces defeated Iraq.
The Gulf War contributed to the cause of the Iraq War in 2003 as it set up the political tensions that caused the US and the UK to invade Iraq.
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