More than previous wars, this war showed that armaments were evaluated on precision and stealth, as well as their destructive powers. This is because so much of the war was shown on our televisions. This book shows where Saddam Hussein got the idea that he espoused; the idea that Kuwait belonged to Iraq. It comes from a brief bit of history during the Ottoman Empire and reoccurs over the years.
Kuwait briefly (in the 1930s) thought of uniting with Iraq because their economy was shattered after WWI and their role as a trade hub was disappearing. However, the British nixed that idea. Iraqi nationalists continued to view Kuwait as a possible addition to their country. Once oil was found in Kuwait, they lost interest in Iraq's overtures.
This book is very clear in explaining the pressures on Iraq that caused them to attack Kuwait. It also shows that the US and USSR were not really interested in problems in the Middle East. Hussein miscalculated, supported by his generals, that they could invade Kuwait without much ado.
The beauty of a book like this is to lay before the reader the entire story, from the backstory to its culmination, so the reader can see the story in one long sequence (instead of piecemeal). Like most Americans, I didn't really pay attention to the saber-rattling between Arab nations prior to 1991. A great product, as usual.
Kuwait briefly (in the 1930s) thought of uniting with Iraq because their economy was shattered after WWI and their role as a trade hub was disappearing. However, the British nixed that idea. Iraqi nationalists continued to view Kuwait as a possible addition to their country. Once oil was found in Kuwait, they lost interest in Iraq's overtures.
This book is very clear in explaining the pressures on Iraq that caused them to attack Kuwait. It also shows that the US and USSR were not really interested in problems in the Middle East. Hussein miscalculated, supported by his generals, that they could invade Kuwait without much ado.
The beauty of a book like this is to lay before the reader the entire story, from the backstory to its culmination, so the reader can see the story in one long sequence (instead of piecemeal). Like most Americans, I didn't really pay attention to the saber-rattling between Arab nations prior to 1991. A great product, as usual.
