Iraq Invades Kuwait - 1990
Thursday, August 2, 2007
The Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait which resulted in the 7 month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait which subsequently lead to direct military intervention by United States-led forces.. and the Gulf War which continues to this day.
Kuwait had heavily funded the 8 year long Iraqi war against Iran. By the time the war ended, Iraq was not in a financial position to repay the $14 billion which it had borrowed from Kuwait to finance its war. Kuwait's reluctance to pardon the debt created strains in the relationship between the two Arab countries.
After the failure of those talks, Iraq tried repaying its debts by raising the prices of oil through OPEC's oil production cuts. However, Kuwait, a member of the OPEC, prevented a global increase in petroleum prices by increasing its own petroleum production. This was seen by many in Iraq as an act of aggression, further distancing the countries.
In 1989, Iraq accused Kuwait of illegally slant drilling into the Iraqi part of the Rumaila Oil Field. Iraq claimed $1 billion including $22.4 billion in compensation for the oil "stolen".
The American ambassador declared to her Iraqi interlocutor that Washington, "inspired by the friendship and not by confrontation, does not have an opinion” on the disagreement which opposes Kuwait to Iraq, stating "we have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts". She also let Saddam Hussein know that the U.S. did not intend "to start an economic war against Iraq". These statements may have misled Saddam into believing he had received a diplomatic green light from the United States to invade Kuwait, which it did, on this day, August 2nd, 1990.
The Iraq-Kuwait War was the first war seen through the filter of cockpit video instrumentation. Edited in chronological order, these films present a surreal history of war.
The day after taking command of the 3rd Armored Division on April 7, 1991, Maj. Gen. Jerry Rutherford talks to troops of the Division's 3rd Brigade at the Brigade's Tactical Operations Center in eastern Iraq.
Kuwait had heavily funded the 8 year long Iraqi war against Iran. By the time the war ended, Iraq was not in a financial position to repay the $14 billion which it had borrowed from Kuwait to finance its war. Kuwait's reluctance to pardon the debt created strains in the relationship between the two Arab countries.
After the failure of those talks, Iraq tried repaying its debts by raising the prices of oil through OPEC's oil production cuts. However, Kuwait, a member of the OPEC, prevented a global increase in petroleum prices by increasing its own petroleum production. This was seen by many in Iraq as an act of aggression, further distancing the countries.
In 1989, Iraq accused Kuwait of illegally slant drilling into the Iraqi part of the Rumaila Oil Field. Iraq claimed $1 billion including $22.4 billion in compensation for the oil "stolen".
The American ambassador declared to her Iraqi interlocutor that Washington, "inspired by the friendship and not by confrontation, does not have an opinion” on the disagreement which opposes Kuwait to Iraq, stating "we have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts". She also let Saddam Hussein know that the U.S. did not intend "to start an economic war against Iraq". These statements may have misled Saddam into believing he had received a diplomatic green light from the United States to invade Kuwait, which it did, on this day, August 2nd, 1990.
The Iraq-Kuwait War was the first war seen through the filter of cockpit video instrumentation. Edited in chronological order, these films present a surreal history of war.
The 1990 Gulf War From US Cockpits
The Gulf War With The Iraqi Forces
The day after taking command of the 3rd Armored Division on April 7, 1991, Maj. Gen. Jerry Rutherford talks to troops of the Division's 3rd Brigade at the Brigade's Tactical Operations Center in eastern Iraq.
U.S. General Talks to His Troops During Iraq/Kuwait War
Labels: Gulf War, Iraq, Kuwait, Saddam Hussein
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Thursday, August 2, 2007.
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