1990 |
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August 2 |
Iraq invades Kuwait. UN resolution 660 calls for Iraqi withdrawal. |
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August 3 |
Iraqi forces reach Kuwaiti-Saudi border. The Arab League condemns Iraq. |
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August 5 |
President Bush declares that the invasion “will not stand.” |
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August 6 |
King Fahd meets with Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney and requests U.S. military assistance. UN resolution 661 bans the importation of Iraqi goods. |
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August 8 |
American fighter planes arrive in Saudi Arabia. Iraq declares a “comprehensive and eternal merger” with Kuwait and annexes it as its nineteenth province. |
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August 9 |
UN resolution 662 finds the annexation of Kuwait has no legal validity. |
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August 12 |
Iraq offers to withdraw in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territory (namely, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank) and a Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. |
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August 18 |
UN resolution 664 demands that Iraq release foreign nationals who are being detained in Iraq. |
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August 21 |
Syria joins earlier Egyptian commitment to defend Saudi Arabia. |
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August 25 |
UN resolution 665 strengthens the economic embargo against Iraq. |
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September 5 |
Iraq calls for the overthrow of leaders in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. |
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September 9 |
Joint U.S.-Soviet statement made that “we must demonstrate beyond any doubt that aggression cannot and will not pay.” (George Bush and Brent Scrowcroft, A World Transformed [New York: Knopf, 1998], p. 368) |
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September 13 |
UN resolution 666 asks for continuous information on the humanitarian situation within Kuwait and Iraq. |
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September 16 |
UN resolution 667 condemns Iraqi violation of diplomatic compounds in Kuwait and demands the immediate release of foreign nationals removed from Kuwait. |
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September 24 |
UN resolution 669 imposes an air embargo on Iraq. |
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October 29 |
UN resolution 674 reiterates the condemnation of Iraqi treatment of foreign nationals and demands their release. |
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November 6 |
American congressional elections take place. |
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November 8 |
The United States announces that it is doubling its troop presence in the region to over 400,000. |
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November 19 |
Iraq begins significant reinforcement of its troops in Kuwait. |
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November 29 |
UN resolution 678 authorizes the use of "all means necessary" after January 15, 1991, to enforce previous UN resolutions, including that requiring Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. |
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December 6 |
Iraq decides to release all foreign nationals held since the invasion. |
1991 |
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January 9 |
Secretary of State James Baker meets Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz in Geneva in unsuccessful effort to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Baker delivers a letter from President Bush to President Hussein. Aziz reads but refuses to forward it. |
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January 12 |
The U.S. Congress authorizes the use of force. The Senate vote is 52–47 in favor. |
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January 15 |
A UN deadline for Iraqi withdrawal is issued. |
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January 17 |
The allied attack begins with Apache helicopter strike at 2:38 A.M. |
Sources: Chronology complied from The Gulf War Reader: History, Documents, Opinions, M. Sifry and C. Christopher, eds. (New York: Times Books, 1991); K. Matthews, The Gulf Conflict and International Relations (New York: Routledge, 1993); G. H. W. Bush and B. Scowcroft, A World Transformed (New York: Knopf, 1998); and http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/gulf/cron/ (last accessed 2/1/01).