9781422285985

US-Led Wars in Iraq, 1991-Present

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There was no way Kuwait, a tiny desert kingdom of fewer than 2 mil- lion people, could repel an invasion by Iraq’s military. Iraq had a popula- tion of more than 30 million in 1990, and possessed the largest army in the Middle East. Iraq’s army had superior weapons and training, and many Iraqi soldiers were experienced combat veterans. Kuwait’s small, lightly armed security force resisted just long enough to allow the coun- try’s ruler, Emir Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah, and most of his family to escape to Saudi Arabia. The fighting ended after just a few hours, with Iraq’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, in control of Kuwait. Kuwait was a valuable prize. Beneath the small country’s desert sands lie enormous deposits of oil—according to some experts, more than 10 percent of the world’s total. Oil is an important resource that is used to operate factories and produce electricity. Cars, trucks, airplanes, and ships all run on fuel processed from oil. Iraq already possessed a large supply of its own oil, so the day’s fight- ing gave Saddam Hussein control over approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. This made Iraq a potential threat to the United States and other countries with modern economies that depend on oil. Saddam could threaten to shut off the flow of oil if other countries did not agree with his actions. This would raise the price of oil, which in industrialized nations could cause an economic recession in which factories close and people lose their jobs. Twice during the 1970s, high oil prices had con- tributed to recessions. It had taken years for the United States to recover from the hard times. annex— to incorporate territory into the area ruled by a country. recession— a period in which a country’s economy shrinks or grows smaller, rather than growing larger. Usually a recession lasts for a limited time; an extended recession is known as a depression. resolution— a formal expression of a decision by the United Nations Security Council, considered binding under international law. WORDS TO UNDERSTAND IN THIS CHAPTER