Operation+Desert+Storm+August+2,+1990+(Group+3)

=Operation Desert Storm=

Overview
In the late 1970's and early 1980's Iraq was at war with Iran. During the beginning of the war Iraq seemed to be winning, but in 1982 Iran came back with more oil causing the price of oil to drop. This drop in oil really hurt the economy of Iraq that is mainly an oil producing country. To make matters worse Kuwait went over the boarder into Iraq and started drilling for oil. Iraq was becoming very fed up with Kuwait which seemed to be doing some sort of economic destruction of Iraq.

Main Point
Operation Desert Storm started on August 2, 1990, when Iraqi forces crossed over disputed boarder of Kuwait and Iraq and occupied Kuwait. Heavily out numbered the Kuwait defenders struggled, and eventually lost control of the capital on August 3. With 200 Iraqi tanks in the capital of Kuwait, Iraqi forces started heading toward the Kuwait and Saudi border, which is rich with oil fields. Within days Kuwait meet with the UN and passed Resolution 661 which placed economic sanctions on Iraq. US ground forces were deployed to Saudi Arabia on August 7 which started Operation Desert Shield. Operation Desert Shield was put in place to make sure that Iraq could get to Saudi Arabia's oil supplies. Resolution 661 was fallowed by Resolution 665 which placed a naval blockade which reinforced the embargo on Iraq to make sure no goods could go in or out of Iraq. On November 29, 1990 Resolution 678 was put in to place, which gave the Iraqi forces until January 15, 1991 to withdrawal from Kuwait. On January 17 U.S. air forces paved the way for the UN coalition force of 34 countries, by striking targets in Kuwait and Iraq. Their targets were Suddam Hussein's nuclear facilities, chemical facilities, and most of his armor and artillery.

Conclusion
On February 27, 1991 at 9 p.m. President Bush announced a cease fire. In order for a mutual cease fire to happen President Bush said that Iraq would have to meet with UN officials with in 48 hours and talk about a permanent cease fire. The terms of the cease fire were that Iraq would have to give Kuwait territory back, pay Kuwait and other countries envovled, Iraq would have to release all prisoners of war, and Iraq would have to give the UN forces the location of all their mines. The official cease fire was signed on April 6, 1991. There were a total of 147 soldiers who died in action, and another 467 were wounded. The war was important to American foreign policy, because it was one of the first policing actions that America took. Operation Desert Storm was one of the first wars on terror that we were in, and the effects of the war can be linked to both the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq that we are still fighting today. It also impacts the way other countries view the United States, some people say that we fought Desert Storm for a three letter word, oil.

References (2009-2010.1.2.C)
"The Iraqi Invasion; In Two Arab Capitals, Gunfire and Fear, Victory and Cheers - NYTimes.com." //The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia//. 3 Aug. 1990. Web. 10 Jan. 2010. . "WAR IN THE GULF: THE PRESIDENT - WAR IN THE GULF: THE PRESIDENT; Transcript of the Comments by Bush on the Air Strikes Against the Iraqis - Text - NYTimes.com." //The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia//. 17 Jan. 1991. Web. 11 Jan. 2010. ."WAR IN THE GULF: The President; BUSH HALTS OFFENSIVE COMBAT; KUWAIT FREED, IRAQIS CRUSHED - NYTimes.com." //The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia//. 28 Feb. 1991. Web. 11 Jan. 2010. .