SOC.7.SWA.SS7H2.d Explain how U.S. presence and interest in Southwest Asia; include the Persian Gulf conflict and invasion of Afghanistan and Iran
operation desert storm
The US's only interest in the middle east is oil. When Iraq invaded Kuwait Saddam Hussein didn't think anyone would come help Kuwait, but he was wrong. The US and the UN came to help Kuwait because this war was going to be a threat on the oil fields. The UN had Kuwait freed in 100 hours. Iraq was out numbered and out gunned.
operation iraqi freedom
The United States felt that Saddam Hussein was a threat to the oil supply, the US, and the Kurds in his country. The US also thought Iraq was making weapons of mass destruction because of the attempts to buy equipment to create nuclear weapons. The US thought they were going to us them against the US. They went to war in march of 2003. This war lasted much longer than operation desert storm. Eventually they caught Saddam Hussein, he was put on trial and executed for war crimes.