Iraq-Desert, Oil and Saddam Hussein

Iraq• Arabic people – 75% of

population• 60% - Shi’ite Muslim• Sunni Muslim Arabs – governed country for

most of last 100 years (even though they are minority)

• Kurds – also Sunni Muslims – 3rd largest group• Oil industry – most important. 2nd largest oil

reserves in the world• 3 major wars and many rebellions

Saddam Hussein

• Leader of Baath Party that ruled Iraq from 1979-2003

• Didn’t like the western world/America

• After he took power – got rid of many of his rivals• Dictator• Led Iraq into war with Iran

Iran/Iraq War

• Lasted 8 years• Very expensive• After the end of this war – Kurdish tribes

began an uprising.• Iraq used poisonous gas against Kurds• 1990 – Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait – set off

the Persian Gulf War

Persian Gulf War

• Iraq in debt to Kuwait and Jordan• Iraq-Iran war ends 1988• Saddam felt like Kuwait should forgive massive loans made to

Iraq• Kuwait didn’t!!! Demanded repayment• Kuwait 5th largest produce of oil in the world – though small it

was very rich.• SADDAM WAS FURIOUS!!

• Saddam Hussein – president 10 years and most of time had been in war with Iran

Saddam’s Accusations

Accused Kuwait of1. flooding market with too much oil – decreasing the price – thus costing Iraq millions2. ‘slant drilling’ – sticking long pipes under Iraqi border and stealing his oil

Demanded $27 million from Kuwait!!!They refused to pay – he decided to invade!!

Invasion• Iraq had 4th largest army in the world• Well equipped with military hardware by US

and Soviet Union from war with Iran• Kuwait conquered in a matter of days

Shocked!!• Other countries thought they

were next• Saudi Arabia – world’s largest oil

producer and very wealthy country

• US – afraid Iraq would cut off their source of oil, driving up the price

• Would have destroyed economies of these countries

United Nations Gets Involved• Security Council spoke out against the invasion• Told Iraq to withdraw• George H. Bush – sent first American troops

and warplanes to Persian Gulf• Became known as Operation Desert Shield

• Saddam Hussein defied the order of the UN• January 16, 1991 – US and others launched a

massive air strike on Iraqi military targets • Started Persian Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm)

OVER QUICKLY!

• Short war – 42 days but very deadly

• Thousands of lives lost and Kuwait was left in ruins

• Iraqis left but Saddam Hussein stayed in power there for another 12 years