United Nations Approves International Coalition for Operation Desert Storm

United Nations Approves International Coalition for Operation Desert Storm

On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded the neighboring oil-rich country of Kuwait. Unwilling to see Iraq in a position to dominate the strategically and economically important Persian Gulf, where a significant percentage of the world's petroleum reserves are located, the United States decided to intervene. While American forces were assembled, diplomatic initiatives and economic pressures were brought to bear; but despite the overwhelming censure of the international community and several United Nations resolutions calling for an immediate end to the occupation of Kuwait, Iraq's president, Saddam Hussein, refused to withdraw his forces.

Therefore, on November 29, 1990, in Resolution 678, the United Nations Security Council authorized an international military coalition led by the United States to intervene and free Kuwait.

The Security Council,
Recalling and reaffirming its resolutions 660 (1990) of 2 August 1990, 661 (1990) of 6 August 1990, 662 (1990) of 9 August 1990, 664 (1990) of 18 August 1990, 665 (1990) of 25 August 1990, 666 (1990) of 13 September 1990, 667 (1990) of 16 September 1990, 669 (1990) of 24 September 1990, 670 (1990) of 25 September 1990, 674 (1990) of 29 October 1990 and 677 (1990) of 28 November 1990,
Noting that, despite all efforts by the United Nations, Iraq refuses to comply with its obligation to implement resolution 660 (1990) and the above-mentioned subsequent resolutions, in flagrant contempt of the Security Council,
Mindful of its duties and responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance and preservation of international peace and security,
Determined to secure full compliance with its decisions, Acting under the Chapter VII of the Charter,

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 12 to 2 (Cuba and Yemen voting No, and China abstaining). The military campaign that followed became known as Operation Desert Storm.

Having the approval of the United Nations (UN) to militarily intervene in Kuwait allowed President George H. W. Bush to circumvent gaining the approval of the US Congress before taking action. Only a narrow majority in Congress supported military action in the Middle East. The United States had already implemented Desert Shield, which had moved US forces to the region to protect Saudi Arabia from Iraq, on August 7, 1990. US forces were led by Commander in Chief General H. Norman Schwarzkopf. The United States set a deadline of January 11, 1991, for Iraq forces to leave Kuwait, but the deadline passed without any action on the part of Saddam Hussein. Therefore, on January 16, Operation Desert Storm began, and in one of the quickest and most lopsided victories in history, the United States took control of the country. Only 148 US personnel were lost during the first major military operation since the Cold War.

The cease-fire took effect on April 11, 1991. The United States decided not to occupy Baghdad for fear that removal of Hussein's government would cause the country to disintegrate into civil war. Saddam Hussein proceeded to tighten his grip on Iraq, crushing frequent uprisings of Shiites and Kurds. In 1993, Iraqi forces violated a UN no-fly zone, and the United States bombed Baghdad. In 1998, President Bill Clinton signed the Iraq Liberation Act, which supported regime change in the country. More bombings occurred from 1998 to 2001, such as Operation Desert Fox, a result of intelligence claiming that Iraq was amassing weapons and conducting further incursions into no-fly zones. After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the United States suspected Iraq of playing a part. However, there is no evidence that Saddam Hussein had any relations with Osama bin Laden or al-Qaeda. With supposed intelligence that Iraq was amassing weapons of mass destruction, the United States again invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003, with a coalition force, achieving control of the country by April 9. On December 18, 2011, the last US troops to maintain a security force left Iraq, but sectarian violence continued in the country into 2014.