Introduction To the Gulf War Persian Gulf War, conflict beginning in August 1990, when Iraqi forces invaded and occupied Kuwait. The conflict culminated in fighting in January and February 1991 between Iraq and an international coalition of forces led by the United States. By the end of the war, the coalition had driven the Iraqis from Kuwait. 1
Quick War On February 28, with the collapse of Iraqi resistance and the recapture of Kuwait thereby fulfilling the coalition s stated goals the coalition declared a cease-fire. The land war had lasted precisely 100 hours. Iraq sustained between 20,000 and 35,000 casualties. The coalition losses were extremely light by comparison: 240 were killed, 148 of whom were American. The number of wounded totaled 776, of whom 458 were American. UN economic sanctions against Iraq UN weapons inspections No Fly Zones in Iraq enforced by US Air Force Saddam Hussein boxed: in by the US military Consequences Questions Why was the first Gulf War fought? What happened as a result? What happened to Iraq after the war? 2
The 9/11 Attack September 11, 2001 In the early morning hours of September 11, 2001, four commercial airliners were hijacked. 8:46 a.m. American Airlines Flight 11 was the first to crash into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Approximately seventeen minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower. Nearly 3,000 were killed including: 343 Firefighters 23 Police Officers 37 Port Authority Police Officers A bomb-sniffing dog named Sirius New York City Images from World Trade Center Building Performance Study conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). New York City CICERO 2011 3
Arlington, Virginia 9:37 a.m. American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. The western side of the building was engulfed in flames. Part of the building collapsed. 189 people were killed: 64 aboard Flight77 125 inside the Pentagon building. Shanksville, Pennsylvania The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was expected to head toward the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Passengers in that plane, however, prevented that from happening. Unfortunately, at 10:03 A.M., the plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing everyone onboard. On September 11, 2010, Former First Lady Laura Bush and First Lady Michele Obama visited the site of United Airlines Flight 93 airplane crash. Responses to 9/11 Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, the U.S. government moved quickly. The passage of the Patriot Act, which provided for, among other things, extensive telephone and email surveillance of Americans suspected of ties to terrorism. The indefinite detention and deportation of immigrants suspected of terrorism. Many sent to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba The creation of a cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security to protect the nation s borders and identify potential attackers. 4
Questions What exactly was 9/11? Where did it take place? What was a result of 9/11? Emergence of Al Qaeda Well funded, well armed, led by a charismatic leader, Al Qaeda became a major force for change for disaffected Muslims, particularly Saudis Goals End to sanctions against Iraq USA out of Saudi Arabia End of US support for the Saudi royal family Osama bin Laden Al Qaeda Operations Willing to use violent means to punish the US and other enemies 1993 truck explosion in the basement of the World Trade Center 1998 attacks on US embassies in East Africa Many attacks against India The 9/11 attack 5
Emergence of the Taliban 2 million Afghan refugees, mainly in Pakistan The Taliban (students) became a major military force, eventually controlling most of the country Al Qaeda emerged as a military force against the USSR, worked with the Taliban Repressive regime with a puritanical interpretation of Islam, oppression of women Meanwhile in Afghanistan... The USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979 Resistance was serious, aided by the US USSR finally left Afghanistan in 1989 After 9/11, President Bush blamed Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda for the attacks and promised to bring him to justice. Bush believed that Afghanistan was protecting bin Laden, decided to invade. Operation Enduring Freedom The US launched Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001 with the United Kingdom. They invaded with about 10,000 troops U.S. and allies drove the Taliban from power and built military bases near major cities across the country. 6
Operation Enduring Freedom Since 2001 coalition forces have spent most of their time fighting insurgents On May 2, 2011, Navy SEALS tracked down and killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. All US combat troops were removed from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 Over 2,300 Americans were killed, 10,000 Afghani soldiers, over 20,000 Afghani civilians and an unknown number of the enemy. This became America s longest war. Questions What is Al Qaeda? What is the Taliban? Who was Osama bin Laden? What finally happened in Afghanistan? 7
The Second Gulf War Bush, Blair (UK) justification for attacking Iraq Implicated in The Attack on America Imminent threat to the region & world Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) Need to free the people of Iraq Hussein's actions, if true, were in violation of United Nations directives, resulting from Iraq's defeat in the original Gulf War. The Second Gulf War On March 20, 2003, a coalition of countries, principally the United States and Great Britain, invaded Iraq. Hussein's actions, if true, were in violation of United Nations directives, resulting from Iraq's defeat in the original Gulf War. Winning the War: Capturing Baghdad and Saddam Hussein 8
The Second Gulf War The Second Gulf War lasted just three weeks and ended with Saddam Hussein's overthrow. Fighting had stopped by May 1, with the capture of all major cities and objectives. Since April 2003, United States forces, as well as troops from other countries, have struggled to end violent resistance in the nation. Saddam Hussein was captured in 2006, tried by the Iraqi people, and executed on December 30, 2006 The Capture of Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein s execution December 30, 2006 9
The Second Gulf War Violent resistance from Iraqi insurgents and foreign militants who had been drawn to the country has plagued Iraq since 2003. On October 21, 2011, President Obama announced that all US troops and trainers would leave Iraq by the end of the year, bringing the US mission in Iraq to an end. On December 15, 2011, the US officially declared the Iraq War over, at a flag lowering ceremony in Baghdad. The last US combat troops left Iraqi territory on December 18, 2011. A total of 4,486 US soldiers were killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2012. American support troops still remain in Iraq and Afghanistan to this day. Questions What did the Second Gulf War accomplish? What happened to Saddam Hussein? Why did the U.S. leave these nations? The Rise of ISIS Started as an al Qaeda splinter group. Also known as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Islamic State (IS). It was created in October 2006 and has grown since the U.S. withdrew from Iraq and the Middle East ISIS uses modern tools like social media to promote reactionary politics and religious fundamentalism. 10
The Rise of ISIS ISIS's strategy for revenue includes oil production and smuggling, taxes, ransoms from kidnappings, selling stolen artifacts, extortion and controlling crops. ISIS has recently lost ground and financial support. Many experts believe it is beginning to fade away, while others predict its spread. 11