Essay on Persian Gulf War - 3474 Words

The Persian Gulf is one of the few regions whose importance to the United States is obvious. The flow of Gulf oil will continue to be crucial to the economic well-being of the industrialized world for the foreseeable future; developments in the Gulf will have a critical impact on issues ranging from Arab-Israeli relations and religious extremism to terrorism and nuclear nonproliferation. Every president since Richard Nixon has recognized that ensuring Persian Gulf security and stability is a vital U.S. interest. The Clinton administrations strategy for achieving this goal during the presidents first term was its attempted quot;dual containmentquot; of Iraq and Iran. This is more a slogan than a strategy, however, and the policy may†¦show more content†¦Hence no U.S. Gulf policy will satisfy everyone in every respect. That makes it all the more essential that any adjustment in U.S. policy toward Iraq and Iran be preceded by extensive consultations with friendly Gulf leaders. Inadequate dialogue and unilateral action have caused some insecurity in the region and weakened trust in U.S. steadfastness. When the British withdrew from the Persian Gulf in 1971, the United States became the principal foreign power in the region. For almost three decades it has pursued the goal of preserving regional stability, using a variety of means to that end, particularly regarding the northern Gulf powers of Iraq and Iran. At first the United States relied on Iran as its chief regional proxy, supporting the shahs regime in the hope that it would be a source of stability. This policy collapsed in 1979 with the Iranian Revolution, when Iran switched from staunch ally to implacable foe. During the 1980s, the United States strove to maintain a de facto balance of power between Iraq and Iran so that neither would be able to achieve a regional hegemony that might threaten American interests. The United States provided some help to Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88, moved in other ways to counter the spread of Iranian-backed Islamic militancy, and provided--with Israeli encouragement--some help to Iran,Show MoreRelatedThe Issue Of The Persian Gulf War3306 Words   |  14 PagesIntroduction: The Persian Gulf War is one of the most recognized wars in our history of war. The Persian Gulf War included Iraq and Kuwait, and would later involve the United States. For a war to occur there must be a just cause. The United States government needed a just cause to go to war with Iraq in the Persian Gulf War. For the purposes of this paper a question that must be answered is; did the United States have a just cause to go to war with Iraq? In order to answer this question there mustRead MorePersian Gulf And Iraq War1089 Words   |  5 PagesDecember 9, 2015 Persian Gulf Iraq War The Persian Gulf/ Iraq War was one of the longest wars in American history. The Iraq War alone lasted nine years, and the Persian Gulf War lasted a little over a year. Many veterans faced hardships upon returning home. These hardships include: illness, homelessness, and unemployment in the midst of one of America s worst economic depressions in history. Shouldn t veterans be treated better? The Persian Gulf War, otherwise known as the Gulf War was an internationalRead MoreThe Persian Gulf War And The Arab War1365 Words   |  6 PagesPersian Gulf War A brief history of the middle east and the nation of Iraq prior to the Persian Gulf War will help explain why the Persian Gulf War was viewed as necessary by the allied countries. The formation of a coalition of countries, the use of innovative military equipment, and strategic military operations helped the allied forces secure victory in the Persian Gulf War. The effects of this victory and subsequent conflict have changed our world as we know it. The Persian Gulf is one ofRead MoreThe Persian Gulf War Essay907 Words   |  4 Pages The Persian Gulf War The war in the Persian Gulf was a war of religious favor, cruel leadership, and greed. Desert Storm or more commonly known ass The Golf War was the same type of war that had accrued in this area for many years except for one fact. In Operation Desert Storm, it was a mix of sophisticated technology and the combined leadership and cooperation from the coalition that was used to end the war in a quick and timely manner. Which in the end probably saved thousands of lives. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;InRead More Persian Gulf War Essay1576 Words   |  7 Pages The Persian Gulf War all started because of one country’s greed for oil. Iraq accused Kuwait of pumping oil and not sharing the benfits, and Kuwait was pumping more oil than allowed under quotas set by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, it decreased the price of oil, Iraqs main export. Iraqs complaints against Kuwait grew more and more harsh, but they were mostly about money. When Iraqi forces began to assemble near the Kuwaiti border in the summer of 1990, several Arab statesRead More The Persian Gulf War Essay example3203 Words   |  13 PagesIntroduction Wars have been apart of this world almost as long as anything else has. Even in the Bible days there are records of wars. There are many reasons that states choose to go to war. Sometimes it is for the expansion of a nation or state, other times it is for financial gains, and it also could be for security or defense purposes. Whatever the case may be, wars have been apart of human life and will always be. There were no differences when it came to the Persian Gulf War. This war involved theRead MoreA Brief Look at the Persian Gulf War1479 Words   |  6 PagesPersian Gulf War, also called Gulf War, (1990–91), international conflict that was triggered by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Iraq’s leader, Saddam Hussein, ordered the invasion and occupation of Kuwait with the apparent aim of acquiring that nation’s large oil reserves, canceling a large debt Iraq owed Kuwait, and expanding Iraqi power in the region1. The Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein cl aimed as a reason for the invasion a territorial dispute over the Shatt al-Arab, the waterway whichRead MoreEssay about The Persian Gulf War3279 Words   |  14 PagesIntroduction Wars have been apart of this world almost as long as anything else has. Even in the Bible days there are records of wars. There are many reasons that states choose to go to war. Sometimes it is for the expansion of a nation or state, other times it is for financial gains, and it also could be for security or defense purposes. Whatever the case may be, wars have been apart of human life and will always be. There were no differences when it came to the Persian Gulf War. This war involved theRead MoreU.s. Involvement During The Persian Gulf War1374 Words   |  6 Pages1st Persian Gulf War â€Å"One of the good things about the way the Gulf War ended in 1991 is, you d see the Vietnam veterans marching with the Gulf War veterans† (George H. W. Bush). President Bush stated that the Persian Gulf War was not fully supported by the soldiers who fought in the war. Gulf War veterans marched like Vietnam veterans because they also viewed the war as unjustified. Persian Gulf War veterans would say, â€Å"American soldiers lost their lives’ for oil.† The first Persian Gulf War startedRead More Causes and Effects of the Persian Gulf War Essay717 Words   |  3 PagesCauses and Effects of the Persian Gulf War The Persian Gulf War, often referred to as Operation Desert Storm, was perhaps one of the most successful war campaigns in the history of warfare. Saddam Hussein, leader of Iraq, invaded Kuwait in 1990. In 1991, after weeks of air strikes, US ground forces entered Iraq and Kuwait and eliminated Iraqi presence in 60 hours. Why Would Iraq invade Kuwait? Kuwait supplies much of the world’s oil supplies, and when Hussein invaded Kuwait, he controlled