The Invasion of Kuwait and Global Outrage On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces rolled across the border, annexing Kuwait in a move condemned universally. The Air Campaign and Strategic Bombing On January 17, 1991, Operation Desert Storm commenced with a concentrated air campaign that lasted for five weeks.
Iraq 1991 Defenses Crumbled Under Airstrikes
Kuwait was liberated, and the coalition forces pursued the remnants of the Iraqi army northward, though they halted well short of Baghdad. To service a mountain of debt, much owed to wealthy Gulf states like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, Iraq pressured its creditors for relief and accused Kuwait of exceeding OPEC quotas, which kept oil prices low and hindered recovery.
The skies over Baghdad and Kuwait were dominated by precision-guided munitions, a new feature of modern warfare that allowed for significant damage with reduced risk to pilots. While the invasion did provide a temporary boost to domestic morale, consolidating Saddam Hussein’s power, it triggered an immediate and severe international response.
Iraq 1991 Defenses Crumbled Under Coalition Airstrikes
The imposition of UN sanctions and no-fly zones created a humanitarian crisis that persisted for over a decade. This economic dispute was the tinder that would ignite a far larger crisis, as Saddam Hussein’s regime viewed Kuwait’s actions as a direct attack on Iraqi sovereignty and economic survival.
More About Iraq in 1991
Looking at Iraq in 1991 from another angle can help expand the discussion and give readers a second clear paragraph under the same section.
More perspective on Iraq in 1991 can make the topic easier to follow by connecting earlier points with a few simple takeaways.
