What was the main cause of the Gulf War in 1990?

Iraq invaded Kuwait over war debts, an oil dispute and a historical claim to Kuwait; the world responded to protect Kuwait and oil supplies.

What was the war on terror?

A campaign launched by US President George W. Bush after 9/11 against terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and the states said to support them.

When was Saddam Hussein captured?

In December 2003; he was tried in Iraq and executed in 2006.

Conflict in the Gulf and Afghanistan, 1990

Between 1990 and 2009 the Gulf region and Afghanistan saw three linked conflicts. The Gulf is rich in oil, so stability there matters to the world. After the Iranian Revolution (1979) and the long Iran–Iraq War (1980–88), Saddam Hussein's Iraq was in heavy debt. In August 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait. The UN demanded withdrawal and a US-led coalition of about 35 nations freed Kuwait in the Gulf War (January–February 1991), but Saddam stayed in power and Iraq faced sanctions and no-fly zones. Al-Qaeda, formed around 1988 by Osama bin Laden, opposed US troops in Saudi Arabia and US Middle East policy; it carried out attacks that led to 9/11 in 2001. President Bush declared a 'war on terror'. In October 2001 the USA and allies invaded Afghanistan, removing the Taliban, who had sheltered Al-Qaeda; but bin Laden escaped and a Taliban insurgency grew. In March 2003 the USA and UK invaded Iraq, claiming it had weapons of mass destruction; Saddam's regime fell, he was captured and later executed, but no WMD were found. The war and its aftermath caused heavy civilian losses, millions of displaced people, broken services and sectarian violence, as well as new elections.

Tensions in the Gulf: regional instability

Oil: the Gulf has a large share of the world's oil, so the USA, Europe and Asia want it stable.
Iranian Revolution (1979): the Shah was overthrown and an Islamic Republic was set up, worrying neighbours and the West.
Iran–Iraq War (1980–88): Saddam Hussein attacked Iran; eight years of fighting killed hundreds of thousands. Many countries, including the USA and Gulf states, helped Iraq.
Iraq's debt: Iraq owed billions, much of it to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. It accused Kuwait of over-producing oil (keeping prices low) and taking oil from the shared Rumaila field, and it claimed Kuwait was historically part of Iraq.

The Gulf War, 1990–91

2 August 1990: Iraqi forces invaded and took over Kuwait in about two days.
World response: the UN Security Council condemned the invasion, put sanctions on Iraq and later gave a deadline of 15 January 1991 to leave.
Coalition: about 35 countries, led by the USA under President George H. W. Bush and including the UK, France, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, sent forces to Saudi Arabia (Operation Desert Shield).
Operation Desert Storm: air attacks from 17 January 1991; a ground attack from 24 February freed Kuwait in about 100 hours. Retreating Iraqi troops set Kuwait's oil wells on fire.
Results: Kuwait was freed but Saddam stayed in power. Uprisings by Shia and Kurds were crushed. The UN kept sanctions and weapons inspections; no-fly zones protected the north and south. US troops stayed in Saudi Arabia.

The war on Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda ("the base") was set up around 1988 by Osama bin Laden and fighters who had opposed the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. It opposed US troops in Saudi Arabia, US support for Israel and Western influence in Muslim countries, and used terrorist attacks: the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania (1998), the warship USS Cole (2000) and on 11 September 2001 four hijacked planes in the USA, killing nearly 3,000 people.

Bush's war on terror

President George W. Bush declared a global "war on terror" against terrorist groups and the states that helped them. It included military action, new security laws, freezing money, and the detention of suspects (for example at Guantánamo Bay), some of which was widely criticised for breaking human rights.

Afghanistan, 2001–2009

Background: after the Soviet withdrawal (1989) and civil war, the Taliban took Kabul in 1996 and ruled most of the country with very strict laws; they let Al-Qaeda run training camps.
October 2001: the Taliban refused to hand over bin Laden. The USA, UK and allies began air strikes (Operation Enduring Freedom) and, with the Afghan Northern Alliance, removed the Taliban by December.
New government: Hamid Karzai led an interim government and was elected president in 2004. NATO's ISAF force helped with security and rebuilding.
Problems: bin Laden escaped (he was found and killed in 2011, after this period). The Taliban regrouped and an insurgency grew from about 2005, with roadside bombs and attacks; the opium trade grew; civilian deaths caused anger. In 2009 President Obama sent more troops.

The Iraq War, 2003

Saddam Hussein's regime

Saddam led Iraq from 1979 as a dictator through the Ba'ath Party, secret police and fear. Opponents were jailed or killed. Kurds suffered the Anfal campaign, including the chemical attack on Halabja (1988); Shia uprisings in 1991 were crushed.

Reasons given for invasion

Claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and was hiding them from UN inspectors.
Claims of links to terrorism (later shown to be weak).
Removing a cruel dictator and spreading democracy; critics also pointed to oil and US strategy.

The invasion

Without a new UN resolution, and despite big protests worldwide, a US-led coalition (with the UK under Tony Blair) invaded on 20 March 2003. Baghdad fell on 9 April. Saddam was captured in December 2003 and executed in 2006. No WMD stockpiles were found.

The impact of war on the Iraqi people

Deaths and injuries: estimates of civilian deaths up to 2009 run into the hundreds of thousands.
Displacement: about 4 million Iraqis fled their homes, inside Iraq or to nearby countries.
Collapse of order: looting after the invasion; the army and Ba'ath officials were dismissed, leaving many angry and jobless.
Insurgency and sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia groups peaked in 2006–07; Al-Qaeda in Iraq grew.
Services: power, water and hospitals were damaged; daily life was hard.
Some changes: elections in 2005 and a new constitution; Kurds gained more self-rule. A US troop "surge" in 2007 reduced violence; in 2008–09 plans were agreed for US forces to leave.

Try it: build your own timeline

On a strip of paper draw a line from 1979 to 2009. Mark each event from the 3D slider. Colour causes in one colour and effects in another, and draw arrows from each cause to what it led to. Then answer: which event do you think was the biggest turning point, and why?

Key formulas and definitions

1979: Iranian Revolution; Saddam takes power in Iraq
1980–88: Iran–Iraq War
2 Aug 1990: Iraq invades Kuwait; Jan–Feb 1991: Desert Storm
11 Sept 2001: 9/11 attacks; Oct 2001: war in Afghanistan
20 Mar 2003: invasion of Iraq; Dec 2003: Saddam captured; 2006: executed
2007: US surge; 2009: withdrawal plans in Iraq, more troops in Afghanistan

Worked examples

1. Give two reasons why Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990.

1) Debt: Iraq owed Kuwait billions after the Iran–Iraq War and wanted it cancelled. 2) Oil: Iraq said Kuwait pumped too much oil (lowering prices) and took oil from the shared Rumaila field. Iraq also claimed Kuwait was historically part of Iraq.

2. How many years passed between the end of the Gulf War (1991) and the invasion of Iraq (2003)? What happened to Iraq in between?

2003 − 1991 = 12 years. Iraq was under UN sanctions and weapons inspections, with no-fly zones in the north and south, and Saddam stayed in power.

3. Explain why the USA attacked Afghanistan in 2001 and not Iraq first.

The 9/11 attacks were carried out by Al-Qaeda, whose leaders and camps were in Afghanistan under Taliban protection. The Taliban refused to hand over bin Laden, so Afghanistan was the direct target. Iraq was attacked later (2003) for different stated reasons: claimed WMD and the nature of Saddam's regime.

Common mistakes

Mixing up the two Iraq wars. The 1991 Gulf War freed Kuwait and left Saddam in power; the 2003 Iraq War removed Saddam.
Saying Iraq carried out 9/11. It was Al-Qaeda, based in Afghanistan; no strong link to Saddam was found.
Confusing the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The Taliban were Afghanistan's rulers; Al-Qaeda was a terrorist network they sheltered.
Writing that WMD were found in Iraq in 2003. Large stockpiles were not found.

Practice quiz

Practice: answer these yourself

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Conflict and Tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan, 1990–2009

🎬 Step-by-step story

🤔 Common doubts, cleared

Were the 1991 and 2003 wars the same war?

Why was oil so important?

Was Iraq behind 9/11?

If the Taliban fell in weeks, why did fighting go on for years?

Did the invaders find WMD in Iraq?

What happened to ordinary Iraqis?