The US Army in the
Liberation of Kuwait

[Dedicated to COL Virginia Sincabin, MD, USAR]

The ill-equipped Kuwaitis had tried diplomacy, appeasement, and finally hoped to ignore the demands of the Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, for cash and oil to pay for his long war with Iran (1980-88). After all, Saddam felt he had done the favor of beating back the "threatening" spread of radical Shia Islam; protecting the Middle East sheikdoms and emirates for their oil rich royal families. Now it was time for them to pay!

Saddam stepped up his propaganda war and launched significant personal attacks on the Kuwaitis and the ruling family. By the last week of July 1990, he had placed his lead Republican Guard division along Kuwait's northern frontier. Well over 100,000 troops had massed in the southern region of Iraq and were within minutes of the border.

On August 2, 1990, Saddam began the invasion of his small, southern neighbor. The attack was largely uncoordinated. The "elite" Republican Guard was described by US Army officers observing, "...they reflected the characteristics of a motley force without orders and a total lack of basic tactical tenants and discipline. For the most part Iraqi soldiers milled around, scavenged for food and water, and seemed to be generally at a loss for what to do next; often looting and stealing bedding items for their hastily constructed fighting positions, complete with beach umbrellas..."

The United Nations called for Saddam to withdraw from Kuwait. President Bush froze Kuwaiti and Iraqi assets and economic sanctions were begun. By early October, seven UN Resolutions were in place against Iraq. On November 29, the UN set the deadline for Iraqi forces to leave Kuwait (UN Res #678); January 15, 1991, midnight EST.

On January 16, 1991, at 6:38 p.m. EST; Operation DESERT STORM was announced, "The liberation of Kuwait has begun!"