Activity 13, The Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm
In the United States, the first American troops return home from the Gulf and were met with jubilant crowds. Patriotism surged throughout the United States. As several observers pointed out, the Gulf War was a national therapy session. The reasons for this euphoria were the quickness of victory--only 100 hours of combat--and the relatively low number of Allied casualties. Of the total 240 dead, 148 were American, and of the 776 wounded, 458 were American. Only 36 airplanes had been lost during the entire war, 27 of which were American. This dramatic display demonstrated America's military prowess, and its willingness to use force when it believed it was in its national interest. The Vietnam War was finally behind America.
But there were other immediate consequences of the war. The returning Kuwait government tried hundreds of Palestinians and others accused of aiding the Iraqi occupation. Kuwait had been looted and its economy was demolished. Its oil wells were still afire and the fires would not be put out for over a year. They were a major environmental calamity as was the deliberate pumping of oil into the Persian Gulf. Although these two catastrophes were not as deleterious as initially believed, they will adversely affect the region's environment for years to come.
Iraq suffered greatly as well. No accurate figures of Iraqi losses have been established. A U.N. report in March 1991 detailed destruction of Iraq's infrastructure and called it "near-apocalyptic." Within days of the signing of the cease fire agreement, civil unrest spread throughout Iraq. Shiite rebels in southern Iraq and the Kurds in northern Iraq revolted against Iraq. Saddam Hussein moved ruthlessly to suppress these rebellions. The U.S. stood aside when Saddam used tanks and helicopters to kill thousands of Shiite rebels. Hundreds of thousands of Kurdish refugees fled to Turkey. The Coalition rescued the Kurds, and eventually established "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq. In these zones, Iraqi military aircraft were not permitted.
The U.N. Security Council Resolutions required that Iraq pay for the damage in Kuwait. They also required that its biological, chemical and nuclear warfare capabilities be destroyed. As Iraq failed to satisfactorily comply with these resolutions, the economic sanctions imposed by the U.N. remained in effect.
The long range consequences of the Gulf War were also significant: the U.S. and Great Britain controlled events in the oil-rich Gulf; the Palestinian question was back on the Middle East agenda; the U.S. demonstrated that it was willing and able to use massive force against any nation interfering with its long range economic goals; and Saddam remained in power supported by hundreds of thousands of Iraqi military forces who escaped destruction.
As a result of the war, Iraq's threat to the region and to the world's oil supplies was blunted. Iraq's military machine has been reduced and Hussein's ability to sustain a war against others was reduced. Kuwait's monarchy was restored, and the region has been protected. The price of oil has been stable. The United Nations gained prestige, and the United States became the major outside power in Middle East. Due to their support for Iraq during the Gulf War, Jordan and the PLO lost financial support from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Perhaps as a result of these weaknesses, the PLO and Jordan have subsequently joined in a peace process with Israel. Whether or not this process will resolve outstanding Arab-Israeli issues is unknown.
Student Questions
What were the results of the war from the standpoint of Iraq?
Of Kuwait?
Of the United States?
In war, unexpected consequences are the rule. What were some of the unanticipated outcomes of the Gulf War?
Why would the Gulf War have contributed to promoting peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors?
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