The Gulf War of 1991 and its Aftermath
Henry Srebrnik, [Summerside, PEI] Journal-Pioneer
It has now been 20 years since the start of the 1991 Gulf War. Overshadowed by the more recent war in Iraq, it should nonetheless be remembered as an event with far‑reaching ramifications.
Saddam Hussein’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990 led to the American-organized coalition, which included Canada, to force him out of the oil-rich emirate. From Jan. 16, 1991 to the end of February, most of the Persian Gulf region was drawn into war.
The victory over Iraq did not end conflict in the region; it was followed by unsuccessful armed rebellions against Saddam Hussein by Kurds in the north and Shi’ite Muslim Arabs in the south. Hundreds of thousands of refugees fled into neighbouring countries.
Why did Iraq lay claim to Kuwait?
The states of the Middle East are not national entities in the sense that most European countries are. Lines on maps are often a relic of the imperial age and have little to do with a sense of identity.
Only since the end of World War I has the Middle East been divided into a large number of small states, rather than being governed by one or another large empire. And for many, this is an unnatural state of affairs which resulted in the independence of small, weak, and rich states such as Kuwait.
Henry Srebrnik, [Summerside, PEI] Journal-Pioneer
It has now been 20 years since the start of the 1991 Gulf War. Overshadowed by the more recent war in Iraq, it should nonetheless be remembered as an event with far‑reaching ramifications.
Saddam Hussein’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990 led to the American-organized coalition, which included Canada, to force him out of the oil-rich emirate. From Jan. 16, 1991 to the end of February, most of the Persian Gulf region was drawn into war.
The victory over Iraq did not end conflict in the region; it was followed by unsuccessful armed rebellions against Saddam Hussein by Kurds in the north and Shi’ite Muslim Arabs in the south. Hundreds of thousands of refugees fled into neighbouring countries.
Why did Iraq lay claim to Kuwait?
The states of the Middle East are not national entities in the sense that most European countries are. Lines on maps are often a relic of the imperial age and have little to do with a sense of identity.
Only since the end of World War I has the Middle East been divided into a large number of small states, rather than being governed by one or another large empire. And for many, this is an unnatural state of affairs which resulted in the independence of small, weak, and rich states such as Kuwait.
Before 1914, Kuwait was technically part of the Ottoman Empire, as was present-day Iraq. Turkey’s defeat in World War I allowed the British to carved Iraq out of its Mesopotamian holdings.
At the Uqair conference, held in 1922, the borders between Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait were drawn by Sir Percy Cox, the British high commissioner then stationed in Baghdad. The states involved had little say in the matter.
So pan-Arab nationalists came to look upon Kuwait and some of the other tiny sheikdoms as products of European imperialism, artificial states of dubious legitimacy.
The new state of Iraq wanted to incorporate Kuwait, even when it was itself largely under British domination. In 1961, when Kuwait became independent, the revolutionary regime in power in Baghdad, massed troops on the Kuwaiti border, and only pulled back after British, and then Arab League, troops were dispatched to protect Kuwait. Iraq massed troops on the border again in 1967 and 1973.
Saddam Hussein, ruler of Iraq after 1979, wanted to make Iraq the dominant player in the region. He also blamed Kuwait for a fall in oil prices in the late 1980s, because the emirate was ignoring OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) production quotas.
As well, Kuwait in the summer of 1990 asked Iraq to repay the $17.6 billion it had lent Saddam Hussein during his 1980s war with Iran.
Angered by this request, on Aug. 2, 1990 Iraq again massed forces against Kuwait, but this time conquered the entire country. Saddam decreed Kuwait Iraq’s 19th province, declaring, a few days after the invasion that “the branch has been returned to the tree.”
The UN Security Council on Nov. 29 passed a resolution authorizing member states to use “all means necessary” against Iraq unless it withdrew from Kuwait by Jan. 15, 1991. A day later, coalition forces invaded Kuwait. By Feb. 26 Iraqi troops had been chased out of Kuwait, but Saddam’s regime in Iraq survived.
How did the Gulf war affect the region in the long run? Iraq lost some degree of sovereignty within its own territory -- Washington declared an area north of the 36th parallel in northern Iraq a refuge for Kurds who fled Saddam Hussein’s armies, and UN sanctions against Baghdad were put in place.At the Uqair conference, held in 1922, the borders between Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait were drawn by Sir Percy Cox, the British high commissioner then stationed in Baghdad. The states involved had little say in the matter.
So pan-Arab nationalists came to look upon Kuwait and some of the other tiny sheikdoms as products of European imperialism, artificial states of dubious legitimacy.
The new state of Iraq wanted to incorporate Kuwait, even when it was itself largely under British domination. In 1961, when Kuwait became independent, the revolutionary regime in power in Baghdad, massed troops on the Kuwaiti border, and only pulled back after British, and then Arab League, troops were dispatched to protect Kuwait. Iraq massed troops on the border again in 1967 and 1973.
Saddam Hussein, ruler of Iraq after 1979, wanted to make Iraq the dominant player in the region. He also blamed Kuwait for a fall in oil prices in the late 1980s, because the emirate was ignoring OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) production quotas.
As well, Kuwait in the summer of 1990 asked Iraq to repay the $17.6 billion it had lent Saddam Hussein during his 1980s war with Iran.
Angered by this request, on Aug. 2, 1990 Iraq again massed forces against Kuwait, but this time conquered the entire country. Saddam decreed Kuwait Iraq’s 19th province, declaring, a few days after the invasion that “the branch has been returned to the tree.”
The UN Security Council on Nov. 29 passed a resolution authorizing member states to use “all means necessary” against Iraq unless it withdrew from Kuwait by Jan. 15, 1991. A day later, coalition forces invaded Kuwait. By Feb. 26 Iraqi troops had been chased out of Kuwait, but Saddam’s regime in Iraq survived.
Though Saddam never threatened Kuwait again, the lingering animosity between Baghdad and Washington would eventually lead to renewed conflict in March 2003, and the final overthrow of Iraq’s Ba’athist regime.
This second war lasted much longer and its outcome remains murky. Despite the immense amount of money expended and casualties incurred by the United States, the main beneficiary of Saddam’s removal may yet prove to be Iran.
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