War in the Persian Gulf Almanac | Iraq Invades Kuwait

• Iraq invades Kuwait
• The world responds
• Operation Desert Shield
• Hussein annexes Kuwait
• Foreign citizens become "human shields"
• Iraq's brutal occupation of Kuwait

After months of political discussions and military buildup, Iraq launched its invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, at 2 AM The powerful Iraqi military successfully conquered its smaller neighbor in a matter of hours. Nations around the world condemned the invasion and demanded that Iraq immediately withdraw its troops from Kuwait. Although Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (1937–) was surprised by the world's strong reaction, he refused to remove his forces and instead began...