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A CHRONOLOGY OF THE GULF CONFLICT

[A chronology of the Gulf War of 1991 and the diplomacy prior to it can befound on the 'The Gulf War' DVD produced by the BBC stored in the Learning

Resources Centre. In lecture 15 we will watch Part 4 of Disk 1.]

2 August 1990 Iraq invades Kuwait.UNSCR 660 condemns Iraq and demands a withdrawal

3 August 1990 Iraq troops gather on the Kuwait-Saudi border

US naval force is bound for the Persian Gulf

5 August 1990 President G.H.W. Bush declares that Iraqi aggressionwill not stand

6 August 1990 UNSCR 661 imposes mandatory sanctions on Iraq

7 August 1990 US troops and aircraft sent to Saudi Arabia

US agrees to write off Egypts military debts

8 August 1990 Iraq annexes Kuwait as its nineteenth province

9 August 1990 UNSCR 662 declares the annexation illegal

10 August 1990 Saddam Hussein calls for an Arab/Islamic risingagainst foreign intervention in Saudi Arabia

A majority of the Arab League condemns Iraq andapproves sending of troops to help Saudi Arabia againstthe threat of an Iraqi attack.

11 August 1990 British forces arrive in Saudi Arabia

12 August 1990 Saddam Hussein offers Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait inreturn for an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories.This is rejected by the US

17 August 1991 Western navies begin a maritime blockade of Iraq.

Iraq seizes Western and Japanese nationals in Iraq ashostages

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18 August 1990 Saddam Hussein attempts to bargain the release offoreign nationals in return for an American withdrawalfrom Saudi Arabia and a pledge not to attack Iraq.

Bush refuses.

23 August 1990 Saddam Hussein offers the release of foreign nationalsand withdrawal from Kuwait in return for lifting ofblockade and access to islands of Warba and Bubiyan

5 Sept. 1990 Saddam Hussein calls for holy war and overthrow of KingFahd of Saudi Arabia and President Mubarak of Egypt

25 Sept. 1990 UNSCR 670 imposes air blockade against Iraq

1 Oct 1990 Pres Bush speech at UN declares that Iraqi withdrawal

must occur before any consideration of problemsbetween Iraq and Kuwait

5 Oct 1990 Soviet Union attempts mediation with Iraq

8 Nov 1990 Bush declares that US troops in Saudi Arabia will bereinforced

29 Nov 1990 UNSCR 678 authorises all necessary means to secureIraqi compliance with previous UNSCRs. Sets Jan 151991 as a deadline for an Iraqi withdrawal. Chinaabstains on the vote but the resolution is passed.

6 Dec 1990 Saddam Hussein decides to release all hostages

15 Dec 1990 Iraq calls off proposed talks in Washington with the US

24 Dec 1990 Saddam Hussein says Israel will be attacked in the eventof war with a US-led coalition

7 Jan 1991 Saddam Hussein promises the mother of all battles in

the event of war

9 Jan 1991 US-Iraq talks fail

12 Jan 1991 US Congress votes narrowly in favour of military action

13 Jan 1991 UN Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar in Baghdad failsto persuade Saddam Hussein to withdraw

16 Jan 1991 UN deadline expires

17 Jan 1991 Coalition air campaign begins thus launching OperationDesert Storm

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18 Jan 1991 First Iraqi Scud missile attacks on Israel

21 Jan 1991 Iraq accepts a Soviet peace plan

22 Feb 1991 Bush rejects the plan and puts a counter-proposalInvolving a complete Iraqi withdrawal within one week

24 Feb 1991 Coalition ground offensive to eject Iraqi forces fromKuwait begins

27 Feb 1991 Coalition forces seize Kuwait CityIraq accepts the terms of UNSCRs 660, 662 and 678

28 Feb 1991 Cease-fire declared

3 April 1991 UNSC Resolution 687, the cease-fire resolution,

imposing obligations on Iraq to destroy its weapons ofmass destruction programmes. UNSCOM established tocarry out inspection and monitoring of destruction ofchemical, biological and ballistic missile capabilities.IAEA charged with inspecting and destroying nuclearcapability. Iraq obligated to recognise inviolability ofborder with Kuwait and return all Kuwaiti POWs.