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- Although the main conflict was between Iraq and Kuwait, allies of Kuwait soon got involved to help protect the worlds oil supply. - Saddam Hussein wanted to conquer over more land, and with his fail to invade Iran, he turned to Kuwait as an easier target. - With a lot of oil deposits right along the Iraq-Kuwait border, Iraq unrightfully tried to claim that oil somehow belonged to them. - Saddam Hussein assumed that other countries (including the US) would not become involved to defend Kuwait. - August 2, 1990 - Iraq invaded Kuwait, taking full control of the country and it's oil supply. - The US and the UN came together to back Kuwait, immediately demanding that Iraq leave Kuwait. (Other countries allied with Kuwait in fear that if Iraq was not stopped there, they would continue into Saudi Arabia or further.)

__Major Players:__
- The United States - Iraq - Kuwait

__Major Events:__
- August 7, 1990 - Operation Desert Shield begins. Operation Desert Shield was the deployment of US troops into Saudi Arabia to protect and prevent. Because the Gulf region is in the United States Central Commands area of responsibility, the US felt that it was our duty to do so. - January 16, 1991 - Marking the start of "Desert Storm". With failed attempts at a diplomatic withdrawal from Iraq, the allied forces with Kuwait began to bomb Iraq and Iraqi forces in Kuwait for five and a half weeks straight. Saddam Hussein tried to fight back with SCUD missiles which were shot down mid-air with US Patriot Missile Batteries. - February 23, 1991 - The ground war began, with Iraqi forces in Kuwait already stranded with no supplies, forcing many soldiers to simply give up rather than fight. This ground war phase in Desert Storm lasted around 100 hours. - February 27, 1991 - President Bush ordered a cease-fire.

__The End:__
- March 3, 1991 - Iraq agreed to the cease-fire and the war officially ended.

__Aftermath:__
- Through the cease-fire agreement, Iraq had to abide by the "no-fly" zones and UN weapons inspections of Iraqi nuclear and other weapons programs. - Because of the economic and trade sanctions that started during the war, Iraq fell into a very bad economic hardship. - Saudi Arabia expelled over a million Yemen workers out of the country when Yemen declared sympathy for Iraq, increasing tension between Saudi and Yemen. - Uprisings against Saddam Hussein continued and got harder and harder to suppress.


 * __Podcast__**:

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Sources Gulf War