In 1979, Saddam Hussein took control of Iraq and immediately set the tone for his rule by killing 21 of his cabinet members. He controlled Iraq as an autocrat. He was seen as a bully and in the 80's already had plans to unite his country once again. He wanted to take over Kuwait. On July 17, 1990, Saddam Hussein accused Kuwait of oil overproduction and theft from the Rumailia Oil Field. This was his excuse to invade on August 2, 1990. In less than four hours he controlled Kuwait and 24% of the worlds oil supplies.

President Bush and the UN were strongly against this take-over therefore imposed economic sanctions. When Iraq refused to withdraw troops from Iraq, the UN Resolution 678 was issued. This said that Iraqi troops must be out of Kuwait by January 15, 1991. Saddam Hussein completely ignored this deadline.

By January 16, 1991, the US government statement of Operations Desert-Storm and Desert-Shield were made. Desert-Shield called for the build up of troops in the Arab region. This eventually led to the beginning of Operation Desert-Storm, an all-out offensive to free Kuwait. On January 16, 1991, Marlin Fitzwater announced: "The liberation of Kuwait has begun…"

US warplanes attacked Baghdad, Kuwait and other military targets in Iraq. In January 1991, Iraq launched its first SCUD missile attack and US forces in the Gulf exceed 500,000. In early February, the King of Jordan announces his support for Iraq.

During this war period, the United States of America used sophisticated planes weaponry like the AH-64 Apache helicopter and the F-117a Stealth bomber. Invisible to radar this was the most famous plane in the Gulf War. Such high-tech equipment and strategies significantly sped up the war. The Allied forces were much stronger and better equipped than the Iraqis.

By February 26, 1991, Kuwaiti resistance leaders declared their control of the city. The next day, President Bush ordered cease-fire and in early March the Iraqi leaders formally accept cease-fire terms.

Operations Desert-Shield and Desert-Storm were successful. It can be clearly said that due to the military sophistication and might of the Allied forces, Iraq stood virtually no chance in defeating the USA and her allies.