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__Invasion of Kuwait__ (Cause)
 * On August 2, 1990 - Iraq invaded Kuwait, on the early morning.
 * More than 100,000 Iraq soldiers and 700 tanks invaded Kuwait.
 * Saddam Hussein threatened to turn Kuwait into a graveyard if anyone challenged his take over of Kuwait.
 * Iraq bombed targets in the capital and had special forces landed at the defence ministry and at the Emir's palace.
 * The leader of Kuwait, Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Sabah, brother was killed, but the leader was able to escape off to Saudi Arabia.
 * Communication was cut with Kuwait and people that were foreign nationals were trapped inside Kuwait.
 * The United Nations Security Council had an emergency session, which asked Iraq for an immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait.
 * Kuwait's assets that are sent to the UK and the US were frozen to prevent Iraq from seizing them. The US though had frozen Iraq's assets.
 * The Soviet Union, which was a supplier of arms to Iraq suspended the delivery of all military equipment to Iraq.
 * Iraq accused Kuwait of flooding the world market with oil and had demanded compensation for oil produced from a disputed oil field on the border of Iraq and Kuwait.
 * When the invasion took place the price of oil rose dramatically and the stock markets had fallen because of the oil price increase.
 * The invasion was just a reason for Iraq to try and take Kuwait's oil, so that Iraq could have almost as much as Saudi Arabia.
 * The US and UN decided to put troops in Saudi Arabia so that Iraq couldn't invade them.

__Desert Shield__
 * Started in the Summer of 1990.
 * This was a US military deployment to first defend Saudi Arabia. This grew rapidly and became the largest American deployment since the Southeast Asia Conflict.
 * It made it possible that the US was on the offensive side of the war.
 * The US and allies spent six months is Saudi Arabia built up there forces in the Arabian peninsula
 * On January 17, 1991 - Desert Shield became Desert Storm because it was clear that Saddam would not withdraw.

__5 1/2 week bombing__
 * On January 16, 1991 - a huge bombing campaign went underway in Iraq and Kuwait by Allied forces
 * Its purpose was destroy Iraq's infrastructure to weaken Iraq's military and civilian moral.
 * To counter the attack, Saddam fired SCUD missiles at targets in Israel and Saudi Arabia
 * Israel wanted to retaliate but due to President George Bush, they did not attack Iraq and instead had the U.S. take out SCUD missile sites.
 * The successful bombing campaign left Iraqi troops cut off from their bases and supplies, resulting in them giving up.

__100 hrs of ground fighting__
 * After the bombing campaign the Iraqi ground forces were already beaten.
 * Most Iraqi soldiers were cut off from supplies and orders but a few groups like the Republican Guard were strong and continued to fight Allied soldiers.
 * The Allies had much more advanced weapons and equipment than the Iraqi's did. Most had old Soviet weapons and equipment.
 * On February 26, - 1991 U.S. forces controlled and captured Kuwait City and U.S. air forces continued to attack retreating Iraqi soldiers.
 * February 27, 1991 - President Bush orders a cease fire.
 * March 3, 1991 - Iraq accepts terms of Cease Fire and fighting is ended.

__End of the Gulf War__
 * February 27, 1991 - The Gulf War ended.
 * Iraqi government announced acceptance of the UN resolution, later that day president, George H. W. Bush announced the war was officially over.

__Effects of the Gulf War__
 * Approximately twelve years later, President George W. Bush sent troops to Iraq, starting the second Gulf War.
 * This resulted in the capture and execution of Saddam Hussein.
 * The war created a new opportunity for peacemaking in the Middle East.
 * After Iraqi invasion President Bush announced once Iraq forces vacated Kuwait he'd increase efforts to Middle East peace process.
 * Secretary of State, James Baker went to the Middle East many times which resulted in an international conference on Arab-Israel peace. This was jointly sponsored by the U.S. and the Soviet Union in Madrid in October, 1991.
 * The U.S. could gain close cooperation with certain regional allies that participated in the coalition.
 * The U.S. signed new defense agreements with several coalition members providing for joint exercises, training, and prepositioning of military equipment.
 * These effects let the administration of the U.S. President, Bill Clinton to react quickly when Iraq threatened Kuwait in October, 1994 by moving troops toward Kuwait.

media type="file" key="Gulf War Podcast_Maura_Megan_Andrew.m4a"

__Works Cited__ http://www.cryan.com/war/ http://www.historyguy.com/GulfWar.html http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/desert_shield.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/2/newsid_2526000/2526937.stm