Thirty years ago, on August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein unleashed his massive army to invade the small Gulf state of Kuwait. It was one of the first major post-Cold War crises and the US decision to eject Saddam shaped the 1990s and continues to shape the Middle East. It set in motion, or fueled, a series of important changes in the region, including the weakening of Iraq, the rise of Islamist extremism, strengthening of Iran, growing US-Gulf ties, rise of Kurdish rights, increased American role in the region and Israel’s recognition that it could face existential threats requiring better air defense.
What follows is a look at some of the key parts of the conflict that resound today.
