Kuwait was a small country that, had once been part of the Ottoman Empire and then a British Protectorate. Most of the country's revenues derived from the oil industry. Saddam already controlled over 20 % of the world's oil reserves.Saudi Arabia contained an additional 20 %. Since the world economy was primarily driven by fossil fuels, what Saddam could do with these resources could easily be imagined. The population was small, about 1.9 million, and its military was not …showed first 75 words of 423 total…

…showed last 75 words of 423 total…Eventually, the United Nations used troops to remove them. Massive air strikes were put into effect.Operation Desert Shield was meant to defend Saudi Arabia, but in January of 1991 President Bush, advised by Collin Powell and the Joint Chiefs of Staff determined to go on the offensive and take the war to the Iraqis... After a month of bombing, General Norman Schwarzkopf led a ground attack and 100 hours later Allied forces defeated the Iraqi army.