The Gulf War, which began on August 2, 1990 and concluded on February 28, 1991, was a critical conflict between Iraq and Kuwait. Iraq justified its invasion by accusing Kuwait of having placed military and oil facilities on Iraq’s territory whilst Iraq was engaged in conflict with Iran. The invasion was sparked by Iraq claiming legitimate ownership of oil since the land was historically theirs. Additionally, Iraq viewed Kuwait as an easy target to annex and expand its territorial control. However, this was not the case and Kuwait came out victorious. This victory was down to a number of factors such as superior leadership and tactics, and more advanced military technology. Despite early losses, Kuwait’s fortunes changed when U.S. forces intervened, turning the tide of the war and securing victory. U.S. military aid was crucial in this outcome. The USA began with Operation Desert Storm on the 16th of January 1991 which aimed to expel the Iraqis from Kuwait. Around 700,000 US troops took part and around 300 lost their lives.
While Kuwait is extremely rich in oil, holding around 7% of the world's oil, so are its neighbouring countries. A great example is Saudi Arabia, which possesses around 17% of the world's proven petroleum reserves. This is important as it is highly likely that the USA saw the stability of the Middle Eastern region and access to oil as being in its national interest. With oil supplies under threat, potential disruption to global oil markets concerned the USA and her allies. Thus, U.S. intervention was seen as a means of maintaining stability in the global oil market. In addition, it posed an opportunity for the USA to get the oil-rich Arab states on its side. The importance of controlling the energy market was well-known to the USA since they struggled greatly when Saudi Arabia placed an oil embargo on them during the Yom Kippur War. In addition to economic considerations, U.S. intervention in Kuwait also aligned with broader political objectives. Given the historical tensions in the Middle East, like the Arab-Israeli conflict, US Intervening in the Gulf War it could be regarded as fear tactics to other Arab nations thinking of attacking to deter aggression between countries and promote regional stability.
Maintaining regional stability is another key reason why the USA wanted to help Kuwait. It could be said that Saddam Hussein wanted to invade Kuwait because he wanted to expand the Iraqi empire and the US were against this. If Iraq were successful in conquering Kuwait, Saddam Hussein would likely attack another Arab nation making him a threat to the entire Middle East. Especially to Saudi Arabia (a close ally of the western powers) who had concerns over Iraq’s antagonism to them. From Kuwaiti territory, Iraq could launch short-range missile strikes targeting Saudi oil fields. Therefore, imposing a dangerous threat to the regional stability in the Middle East which is why the USA felt it important to intervene. In addition to stopping Iraq’s military force, the USA wanted to maintain regional stability by removing Saddam Hussein’s aggressive influence. Helping Kuwait would prove that the USA was committed to helping its allies and against the war in the Middle East. Without the aid of the USA, the entire region could have descended into further instability and conflict.
Finally, the United States helped Kuwait since there was a violation of international law. The United Nations Security Council condemned the attack and the USA saw it as important to stand firm by international laws. Furthermore, Iraq had no legitimate or approved reason to attack Kuwait and ignored Resolution 660 stating that Iraq should retreat. Most importantly, the invasion violated the principles of sovereignty which is one of the key points of international law. Finally, the Carter Doctrine, established on January 23, 1980, asserted that the U.S. would use military force to protect its national interests in the Persian Gulf. This policy was obeyed, and it is what President Bush argued was the main reason for helping.
