Iraq in the Wake of the
Gulf War

The NO-FLY ZONES dictated by NATO

U.N. Weapons Inspectors

Following the war, U.N. weapons inspectors (UNSCOM) were sent to Iraq to identify non-conventional weapons of mass destruction, manufacturing infrastructure, and delivery systems such as missiles.

It was quickly discovered that Iraq invested years of effort to develop non-conventional weapons. It was also learned that many Western nations provided technology in support of these efforts and the development of ballistic missiles. Iraq admitted to its involvement in the production of non-conventional weapons but argued that it had destroyed them all.

The Iraqi authorities opposed the inspectors’ work and tried to portray them as a continuing effort to leave the sanctions in place. The U.N., and the U.S. in particular, viewed Iraq’s arguments as proof that additional weapons had still been left undiscovered by U.N. inspectors.

On November 13, 1997, Iraq expelled the American UNSCOM observers. Tensions escalated over the following months and the U.S. began to reinforce its forces in the Persian Gulf. In February 1998, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan reached an agreement to calm tensions in the region, but in the coming months, Iraq continued to interrupt UNSCOM’s efforts and demanded that the sanctions against Iraq be removed. At the end of August 1998, Saddam Hussein ended the observers’ work.

On August 31, 1998, the U.S. and Britain threatened Iraq with military action if Iraq would not cooperate. On November 14, Iraq agreed to unconditional cooperation with U.N. inspectors, and the U.S. and Britain withdrew their threat. On December 15, the U.N. Chief Inspector Richard Butler announced that Iraq was not honoring its commitment to full cooperation.

The next day, the U.S. and Britain initiated four days of air attacks on Iraq. The attacks focused on command and control centers, missile factories, and airfields. The U.S. and Britain continue a war of attrition against Iraq, including air attacks on Iraqi targets in no-fly zones determined after the 1991 war.

In 2000, the UNSCOM team was replaced by UNMOVIC after the Clinton administration admitted that it had received intelligence reports from UNSCOM weapons inspectors.

Flashpoints

In June 1993, during George Bush’s visit to Kuwait, an attempt was made to assassinate the former President. President Clinton responded by attacking Iraq with guided missiles. This attack represented the first wave of renewed tension in the Gulf.

In 1994, Iraqi Republican Guard units proceeded toward the Kuwaiti border and U.S. forces were again sent to the Gulf. Once Saddam perceived the seriousness of the U.S. response, he withdrew his forces.

From this point onward, tensions in the region focussed on the work of the U.N. inspectors. The scenario remained the same, i.e., Saddam Hussein would not allow the inspectors to operate; the U.S. forces would flex their muscle; and Saddam would withdraw his opposition.

In February 2001, U.S. forces attacked Iraqi air defenses. This action was taken in response to a dramatic rise in the number of Iraqi attempts to down U.S. aircraft patrolling over Iraq and to establish new command centers.

In August 1996, the Iraqi army invaded the Kurdi province in cooperation with the KDP (Kurdish Democratic Party). The Iraqis conquered the city of Arbil from the PVK (Kurdish Opposition Party). After a number of weeks, the Iraqis withdrew from the city and returned it to the control of Barzani, leader of the KDP.