Overview of the Persian Gulf War, 1990

In the early hours of August 2, 1990, one hundred thousand mechanized troops of Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi army roared and rumbled across the border into Kuwait. By noon of August 4, the tiny, oil-rich nation belonged to the Iraqi invaders. When informed of Iraq’s unprovoked aggression, U.S. President George H. W. Bush said, “This will not stand.” In defense of Saudi Arabia and stability in the Middle East, he drew a line in the sand. Operating under the umbrella of the United Nations, President Bush assembled a multinational coalition and prepared for war. Over the next five months, Saddam refused to accept UN diplomatic efforts for Iraq’s complete withdrawal from Kuwait. He ignored a UN ultimatum to withdraw by January 15, 1991. On January 17, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Iraqis reaped the lethal consequences of their leader’s aggression and defiance. A huge coalition air armada struck Baghdad and ushered in a new era of high-tech warfare.