Gulf War (Saddam toppled in 1991)

The Gulf War or Persian Gulf War (2 August 1990 – May 1, 1991) was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force from 34 nations authorized by the United Nations (UN) and led primarily by the United States in order to liberate Kuwait.

Liberation of KuwaitEdit
Seven days after Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990, the United States started to deploy Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard units to Saudi Arabia (Operation Desert Shield), while at the same time urging other countries to send their own forces to the scene. U.N. coalition-building efforts were so successful that by the time the fighting (Operation Desert Storm) began on January 17, 1991, twelve countries had sent naval forces, joining the local nations of Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states, as well as the huge array of the U.S. Navy, which deployed six aircraft-carrier battle groups; eight countries had sent ground forces, joining the local troops of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the seventeen heavy and six light brigades of the U.S. Army and nine Marine regiments, with all their vast support and service forces; and four countries had sent combat aircraft, joining the local air forces of Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine aviation, for a grand total of 2,430 fixed-wing aircraft.

In January 1991, the Coalition launched an air campaign against Iraq, causing heavy casualties and damage to military infrastructure. The Iraqi Army attempted to relieve the pressure by invading Saudi Arabia and occupying the town of Al-Khafji. In the battle that followed, the Iraqis were repulsed by Saudi and American counterattacks. The Iraqis had over 300 casualties. The Coalition lost 43 soldiers (11 from friendly fire).

On February 24, 1991, the U.S.-led coalition began the ground operations in Kuwait. They had few casualties, some of them from friendly fire, while the Iraqi Army lost a significant percentage of men and equipment.

On February 28, 1991, President George H.W. Bush refused to sign a ceasefire and instead swore to liberate Iraq from the menace of Saddam Hussein. Coalition forces subsequently began pushing into Iraq, and encountered mass surrenders by Iraqi troops.

The Coalition attacks Baghdad to topple Saddam Hussein. The U.S. army launches the Operation Phalanx. During the battle of Baghdad, 13 000 Iraqi soldiers are killed, while 600 Coalition soldiers are killed. Saddam Hussein is killed and toppled, and democracy is restored in Iraq. So the war is concluded by the victory of the Coalition. Freedom, security and peace are restored in Middle-East.