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PERSIAN GULF WAR
By,
Nick Pedalino, Jack Isla, Jenna Leo, Jack
Haggerty
Journal: George H. W. Bush Address to the Nation on
Invasion of Iraq
• If you were around to hear the President’s initial
address to the nation, after taking into account the
points reasoned in the speech, would you be for or
against the invasion of Iraq? Why or why not?
IRAQI INVASION OF KUWAIT
• August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded
Kuwait with more then 100,000
Iraqi soldiers and 700 tanks.
• Saddam Hussein, of the
provisional government in Iraq
threatened to turn Kuwait into a
graveyard if any other country
dared to challenge the “take over
by force”.
• All communication had been cut
with Kuwait and many people,
including many foreign nationals
were trapped in the city.
• Invasion reports suggested that up
to 200 people had been killed
around the city during the time of
the invasion.
“ABSOLUTLEY UNACCEPTABLE”
•
The invasion soon sparked strong
condemnation from world leaders.
•
The United Nations Security Council in
a state of emergency, soon called for
the “immediate and unconditional”
withdraw of Iraqi forces from Kuwait.
•
British Prime Minister, Margaret
Thatcher branded the Invasion as
“absolutely unacceptable”.
•
Margaret Thatcher
American President George Bush
considered the invasion a “naked act of
aggression”.
George Bush
OPERATION “DESERT SHIELD”
•
On August 6, 1990, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia
met with Richard Cheney, requesting U.S.
military assistance.
•
A day later on April 7, 1990 President Bush,
authorized operation “Desert Shield”.
•
“Desert Shield”, was the operational name of
the military defense, by a 30-nation force led
by the United States, of Saudi Arabia and its oil
installations following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.
•
Bush stressed on how half of the oil the U.S.
consumed came from Saudi Arabia and should
it be attacked it would pose a threat to U.S
economic independence.
•
This operation would soon lead to the
deployment of 500,000 troops to the country of
Saudi Arabia.
King Fahd meeting with Richard Cheney
NEGOTIATIONS FOR KUWAIT
•
When negotiations began U.S. officials insisted on a total Iraqi pullout from Kuwait.
•
The U.S. feared any concessions would strengthen Iraqi influence in the region for years to come.
•
On August 12, 1990, Saddam Hussein called for compromise via Baghdad radio.
•
Agreed that Iraqi forces would leave Kuwait if:
 Israel withdrew from its territories in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon.
 Replacement of U.S. troops who had mobilized in Saudi Arabia with an “Arab Force”.
•
President Bush quickly dismissed the agreement, strongly apposing it.
•
Again in August 1990 another proposal was delivered to National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft by an
unidentified Iraqi official.
•
This new proposal said that Iraqi forces would leave Kuwait if:
 The UN lifted sanctions.
 Allowed "'guaranteed access' to the Persian Gulf through the Kuwaiti islands of Bubiyan and
Warbah"
 Allowed Iraq to "gain full control of the Rumailah oil field that extended slightly into Kuwaiti
territory
 Also "include(d) offers to negotiate an oil agreement with the United States 'satisfactory to both
nations' national security interests.
•
Ultimately, the US stuck to its hard line position that there would be no negotiations until Iraq withdrew
from Kuwait and that they should not grant Iraq concessions.
Brent Scowcroft, National
Security Advisor
RESOLUTION 678
•
The Council, recognizing its
responsibility to uphold international
peace and security, offered Iraq one
final chance.
•
Iraq was to implement Resolution 660
(1990) which demanded that Iraq
withdraw its forces unconditionally from
Kuwait.
•
If Iraq did not implement the resolution
by January 15, 1991, Member States
were authorized to use all necessary
means to uphold and implement
Resolution 660 (1990).
•
This was the legal authorization for the
Gulf War, as Iraq did not withdraw by
the deadline.
UN JUSTIFIES INTERVENTION
•
The UN and U.S. gave several public
justifications for involvement which included:
•
Iraqi violation of Kuwaiti territory.
•
The U.S. was supporting its ally Saudi
Arabia who was a key oil supplier.
•
Claimed satellite forces showed a build
up of Iraqi forces along the border of
Saudi Arabia (shown to be false).
•
Iraq’s history of human rights abuses
during Saddam’s presidency.
•
Iraq also possessed biological
weapons.
INFLUENCING U.S. OPINION
•
Throughout the beginning of the war there
where many ways the Gov. and other
organizations came up with to influence the
American opinion.
•
Books where distributed highlighting Iraqi
atrocities to U.S. soldiers.
•
Before a group of members of the U.S.
Congress a woman identified herself as a nurse
working in the Kuwait City hospital.
•
She described Iraqi soldiers pulling babies out
of incubators and letting them die on the floor.
•
It was found out later that this was a fabrication
however it was to late, The story helped tip both
the public and Congress towards a war with
Iraq.
VIDEO BUSH ANNOUNCES WAR
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFrnQHaQWoA
OPERATION “DESERT STORM”
•
The gulf war finally began on January 17, 1991, with
an extensive aerial bombing campaign.
•
The planes dropped a total of 88,500 tons of bombs,
destroying military and civilian infrastructure.
•
The commander of allied forces was General
Schwarzkopf.
•
A day after the deadline set in Resolution 678, the
coalition launched a massive air campaign.
•
Began the general offensive codenamed Operation
Desert Storm.
•
The first priority for Coalition forces was the
destruction of the Iraqi air force and anti-aircraft
facilities.
•
The largest phase of the air campaign targeted
military scud missile launchers, weapons research
facilities, and naval forces throughout Iraq and
Kuwait.
RESULTS OF AIR CAMPAIGN
•
Despite desperate efforts Iraqi anti-aircraft
defenses were highly ineffective against
coalition aircraft.
•
Out of the 100,000 sorties (group of 1 or more
planes) the coalition only lost a total of 75
plains.
•
44 of which were a result of Iraqi action and 2 of
which were a result of plains trying to avoid Iraqi
fire.
•
1 however was recorded as an air-air victory.
IRAQI RETALIATION
•
The Iraqi government made no secret
that it would attack Israel if invaded.
•
Iraq responded to the coalition attacks
by launching eight Al Hussein missiles
at Israel the next day.
•
These missile attacks on Israel were to
continue throughout the war.
•
A total of 42 Scud missiles were fired by
Iraq into Israel during the seven weeks
of the war.
•
In response to the threat of Scuds on
Israel, the United States rapidly sent a
Patriot missile air defense artillery
battalion to Israel.
•
Coalition air forces were also
extensively exercised in "Scud hunts" in
the Iraqi desert.
Scud Missile Transport
Patriot
Missle
BATTLE OF KHAFJI
•
On January 29, 1991, Iraqi forces attacked and
occupied the lightly defended Saudi city of Khafji.
•
The battle of Khafji only lasted two days but resulted
in heavy casualties.
•
However Iraqi forces sustained substantially more
dead and captured than the allied forces.
•
14 U.S. airmen were killed when an American AC-130
gunship was shot down by an Iraqi surface-to-air
missile (SAM).
•
Khafji was a strategically important city immediately
after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
•
If Iraq would have secured Khafji they would have
had a majority of Middle Eastern oil supplies.
•
Would have found themselves better able to threaten
the subsequent U.S. deployment along superior
defensive lines.
Ac-130, type of plane shot down at Khafji
LIBERATION OF KUWAIT: THE WAR ENDS
•
Early on February 24, 1991 U.S. troops launched
an armored attack just to the west of Kuwait.
•
The Iraqis suffered massive losses and lost dozens
of tanks and vehicles, while American casualties
were comparatively low.
•
Coalition forces pressed into Kuwait swiftly,
capturing their objective in three hours.
•
The coalition advance had been much swifter then
American generals had expected.
•
On February 26, 1991, Iraqi forces began to retreat
from Kuwait, setting oil fields on fire as they left.
•
One hundred hours after the ground campaign
started, on February 28th, President Bush declared
a ceasefire.
•
He soon declared that Kuwait had finally been
liberated.
•
Finally on June 8,1991 a Victory parade was held
in Washington.
Iraqis lit oil fields on fire like this one during their retreat.
Victory Parade Washington D.C.