In August 1990, President George Bush undertook the biggest US military commitment overseas since Vietnam, deploying more than 500,000 troops in the Persian Gulf to defend Saudi Arabia following Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s occupation of Kuwait.

Bush’s firm response to Iraq’s invasion came as a surprise to the Iraqi president. US Ambassador April Glaspie had informed Hussein eight days before the invasion that the American government held “no opinion on ArabArab conflicts,” saying “the Kuwait issue is not associated with America.” The Iraqis long had claims on territory in Kuwait and complaints that the Kuwaitis were bringing down the price of oil through overproduction.

Hussein’s smiles following this meeting were erased by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s resolve to ensure that Bush did not “go wobbly” and allow the invasion to stand. While General Colin Powell, Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs, wanted to give an embargo and sanctions imposed on Iraq time to work, Thatcher and Bush decided by January that Hussein would not withdraw. Bush went to war against Iraq, launching a bombing and missile assault that left Hussein’s forces crippled and unable to withstand the land assault which came over a month later.

Bush and his military chiefs received criticism for stopping the “Desert Storm” land invasion after only five days, before Hussein’s Republican Guard was destroyed. This made possible Hussein’s subsequent intransigence and resulted in a number of follow-up operations during Clinton’s administration. Constant engagement between American and British fighter planes and Iraqi air defense systems has continued since Desert Storm.

Saddam Hussein remains in power and is extremely wealthy due to black-market deals in Iraqi oil. The citizens of Iraq have been suffering in large numbers, many dying as a result of malnutrition exacerbated by the world embargo.

In the United States, the war was especially noteworthy for the fact that, even though it was considered a triumph for Bush, this did not translate into electoral success in the next presidential election. It has also lingered as a source of disaffection for many veterans who suffered from what was called Gulf War Syndrome, and who had their claims of injury rejected by the Pentagon.

The war has already made it into American movie history thanks to Courage under Fire (1996) and Three Kings (1999).