The Three Gulf Wars: Key Issues Essay

First Gulf War

The First Gulf War was fought between Iraq and Iran from 1980 to 1988. Before the onset of this conflict, the Iranian Revolution of 1979 led to the fall of Shah’s regime. This outcome led to the establishment of the new Islamic Republic of Iran. This new leadership was characterized by new ideas and ideologies. Saddam Hussein became the president after his Iraqi forces invaded Iran. The unresolved issues arising from the Algeria treaty of 1975 were attributable to such challenges. Some of the driving forces towards this invasion included the political challenges Saddam Hussein faced, the existing power vacuum in the Islamic Republic, and Saddam’s hegemonic ambitions.

Saddam wanted to portray the image of a protector of Iraq and its people. He also wanted to deliver a quick victory by fighting Iran and consolidating his power. The fact that Iran had a power vacuum made it an easy target. He believed that Iraq would record victory within 2-3 weeks. The move would maximize his potential and occupy the oil rich regions of Iran, such as Shatt al-Arab River. He nicknamed this new war “Saddam’s Qadisiyya”.

Three phases defined the Iran-Iraq War. The first one was characterized by the rapid success and victory in the South-Western parts of Iran. The second phase occurred when Iran launched a counterattack and recaptured most of the regions under Saddam’s control. Between 1982 and 1988, the war was in the third phase whereby no side was able to record decisive victory. Consequently, Iran solidified its army and eventually became stronger. It relied on “human waves attack” to achieve positive gains. This war increased Iraq’s debt to tens of billions, and claimed thousands of lives. Additionally, the region experienced an unprecedented economic and social crisis.

Second Gulf War

After failing to achieve his goals in Iran, Saddam’s troops chose to invade Kuwait. Within a week, the Iraqi army announced Kuwait as its 19th province. The ruling family in Kuwaiti chose to move to Saudi Arabia. Saddam wanted Kuwait to pay around 10 billion US dollars and cancel the accrued debt during the First Gulf War. Peaceful resolutions efforts failed to deliver timely results. The US government chose to intervene by leading an international coalition to support Kuwait. This move gave birth to Operation Desert Storm. The first stage of this project entailed aerial bombardment of Iraqi troops in both Iraq and Kuwait. The second stage, which lasted one hundred hours, compelled Iraq to accept the formulated UN resolutions. The two nations agreed to a ceasefire on 28th February, 1991. This conflict redefined the nature of national relationships. The region experienced internal discord and focused on international support and aid.

This war led to additional challenges and transformations that would redefine the region’s history forever. For instance, the Arab World witnessed additional roles of states that were non-Arab, including Israel and Turkey. The US also expanded its influence in the region. The war also compelled most of the countries to focus on Islamic fundamentalism. This new trend led to additional manifestations, such as reformism and internationalism. These forces led to the establishment of Al-Qaeda, a terror group led by Osama bin Laden. The impacts and issues surrounding the First Gulf War and Second World War reshaped the future of global terrorism. surrounding the First Gulf War and Second World War reshaped the future of global terrorism. Consequently, September 11 would challenge the United States’ military power, homeland security, and economic power. These developments would set the stage for the U.S. War on Terror.

Third Gulf War

After 9/11, the United States informed the international community that Iran, Iraq, and North Korea were the centers of evil. The American leaders believed that there was a need for all countries to join hands if they were to overcome the challenge of global terror. In October 2001, the US invaded Afghanistan with the aim of overthrowing the Taliban regime. This decision was the first step towards addressing the problem of global terrorism. The US presented several justifications to support such a move. First, the leaders in the US believed that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. Second, there was a strong link between Al-Qaeda and Saddam’s government. Third, there was a need to liberate the people of Iraq from Saddam’s dictatorship. Some sceptics have indicated that the occupation of this Arab country was primarily intended for its oil reserves.

However, the Bush administration gave convincing reports that indicated that oil was intended to play any role in the invasion of Iraq. According to those in leadership positions, the primary aim was to get rid of Saddam’s regime and put an end to global terrorism. Within the eight years of invasion, the U.S. managed to overthrow Saddam’s regime and destroy Iraqi state agencies and institutions. Unfortunately, the events forced many Iraqis to become refugees or be internally displaced in their own nation. Iran gained a new opportunity to expand its influence and role in Iraq. The level of security declined significantly during the period. Sectarian violence also increased between Sunnis and Shiites. The ongoing conflict also expanded the number of Al-Qaeda members in Iraq and across the region. Some of these developments explain why the Third Gulf War still remains one of the most controversial and contentious conflicts in the world today.