On August 2nd 1990, Iraq invaded the small oil rich country of Kuwait on its southeastern border. Iraq claimed that Kuwait was a long time province from the 1800s and early 1900s, whose lands belonged under control of Iraq, a so-called province. Saddam Hussein also argued that Kuwait was pumping oil from an oil field that was on the border of the two countries and belonged to Iraq. Upon gaining control of Kuwait, Hussein was able to eliminate his previous debt to Kuwait and gain its substantial oil wealth, roughly 10% of the worlds oil supply. Regardless of the motives behind Iraqs invasion, under international law, none of Iraqs claims against Kuwait justified its invasion of that country. The world perception of Iraq was one of greed, where Hussein had taken the defenseless country of Kuwait for its oil wealth in order to secure his own power with OPEC and among his own people. The United Nations Security Council immediately placed a trade embargo on Iraq and demanded that they withdraw from Kuwait. When Hussein failed to comply, a world coalition of 39 countries, mainly led by the United States and the United Nations, was given the order to take action. Air strikes soon commenced followed by a full scale ground invasion, which lasted technically until late February of 1991, in which Husseins forces were totally removed from Kuwait.Naturally, the world led by the United Nations and the United States, condemned the actions of Iraq. However the real truth behind the matter is economics. The U.S., along with other industrialized nations, had a substantial economic interest in Kuwaits oil riches. Had Iraq acted more intelligently in its acquisition of Kuwait and not presented a threat to other surrounding countries and the oil trade, it might have succeeded. Saddam Hussein even posed the question to the world that if it was going to condemn Iraq for its invasion of Kuwait, then why did the world not condemn Israel for its co...
