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Persian Gulf War. Operation Desert Storm. Saddam Hussein Dictator of Iraq. Iraq invades Kuwait 1990. Iraq takes the oil-rich nation of Kuwait—very near the Saudi Arabian border. 40-day air war against Iraq. Soviets back the invasion.
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Persian Gulf War Operation Desert Storm
Iraq invades Kuwait 1990 • Iraq takes the oil-rich nation of Kuwait—very near the Saudi Arabian border
Soviets back the invasion • At this time, the US consumed one quarter of the total world’s oil—20 percent came from Iraq and Kuwait
Coalition of nations support Bush invokes principles of self-determination, but the reality is oil About 24 nations participated—400,000 US troops, 265,000 from other nations Congress debated for three days, and authorized war by a slim margin
“Vietnam Syndrome” • “By God, we’ve kicked the Vietnam syndrome once and for all!” • President George H.W. Bush, March 1, 1991
Bombing War • Most Americans felt no moral ambiguity and took pride in the display of military prowess. • Some criticized ending the war without having taken out Hussein • Keeping US troops in Saudi Arabia, the holy land of Islam, after the war, fueled anti-American hatred by Muslim extremists like Osama bin Laden
Election of 1992 • Bush’s chances looked golden with success in Kuwait • Opposition candidate Clinton promised to work for the ‘forgotten middle class’ • A third party candidate ran—Ross Perot—he got 19 percent, harming Bush