1. Persian Gulf War

2. Key People
Key people
President
George H. Bush

3. Saddam Hussein

4. Colin Powell, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

5. Norman Schwarzkopf, US Commander

6. August 2, 1989 – Iraq invades Kuwait
UN Security Council condemns invasion, imposes economic sanctions

7. Invasion is a big threat to Saudi Arabia and US oil supply

8. UN Security Council issues ultimatum: withdraw by January 15, 1991, or force will be used

9. On January 12, 1991 the United States Congress authorized the use of military force ( as part of the UN coalition) to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. This is not the same as declaring war!!!

10. The War
Smart bombs, the Nintendo War
Iraq bombed Israel

11. Escalated to ground battles in February

12. February 28th – victory
Kuwait liberated, Saddam Hussein remains in Iraq

13. US deaths – 345, casualties about 1,000
Iraqi deaths – 50,000 – 100,000

14. TV Coverage
Journalists embedded with US troops
Information censored

15. Americans watched live Scud missile attacks on CNN

16. Environmental Damage
the Iraqi military forces in Kuwait opened valves at the Sea Island oil terminal near Kuwait City and released large quantities of crude oil into the Gulf, an act of environmental warfare

17. When Iraqi troops withdrew from Kuwait at the end of the Persian Gulf War in early 1991, they set fire to more than 600 oil wells and pools of spilled oil in Kuwait.

18. Gulf War Syndrome
A growing number of Gulf War vets have unexplained symptoms including fatigue, respiratory illness, muscular pain, skin rash, memory loss, dizziness

19. This may be the result of exposure to toxic gases, radioactive exposure from ammunition, or other sources
Studies inconclusive and more research is being done.