Iraq+invades+Kuwait

 =**//Iraq invades Kuwait //**=

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**1990 **
 

Overview
On August 2, 1990, over 100,000 Iraqi soldiers invaded the Gulf state of Kuwait in the early hours of the morning. They were armed with more than 700 tanks and an attitude of fiery hatred. Jets flown by Iraqi soldiers bombed the capital of Kuwait, along with other areas of prominence, and road blocks were put into place. All forms of communication were cut within Kuwait, and many people, including thousands of foreign officials, were trapped in the city. Within hours, Iraqi forces established a provisional government, and their leader Saddam Hussein threatened to turn Kuwait into a "graveyard" if any other country dared challenge the power of Iraq.

Central Issue
Of course, the underlying factor in this invasion had to do with material forces. In weeks before the attack, Iraq had accused Kuwait of flooding the world market with oil, and they demanded compensation for oil produced from a disputed oil field on the border of the two countries. Hussein said that the overproduction of oil in Kuwait had cost Iraq an estimated $14 billion per year after oil prices started to fall. Kuwait never replied. The next step for Iraq was a full-on invasion. During the invasion, Kuwait's assets in the UK and the US were frozen in order to prevent Iraq from seizing them. The Soviet Union was on Kuwait's side as well- being Iraq's main supplier of arms, it was tough for them to fight a war when the Soviets suspended all delivery of military equipment to their country.

Conclusion
The invasion definitely sparked strong retaliation from leader's around the world. The United Nations Security Council, in emergency session, called for "the immediate and unconditional" withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Iraq was eventually removed from Kuwait, but not after they annexed them. Also as a result of this brutal attack, the First Persian Gulf War started. It went from January to February of 1991. Saddam Hussein was never removed from power, and even after peace terms were agreed to by Iraq, they found every way possible to break that agreement. Within 10 years, Saddam Hussein would change the face of America forever.

**References**
//Iraq Invades//. New York Times. Web. .  

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