10 YEARS AFTER

Ten years ago bombs started falling over Baghdad. As the UN Security Council was meeting, the U.S. orchestrated a bombing campaign on January 16, 1991 and later mounted a brief ground war to drive the Iraqi army out of Kuwait and to decimate Iraq's military capacity.

The immediate objective of Operation Desert Storm—to end Iraq's annexation of Kuwait--was achieved. The war highlighted U.S. global military and political supremacy as the cold war ended while temporarily boosting the popularity of President George Bush. Ten years later, however, U.S. policy in the Persian Gulf has few supporters. Within and outside the UN Security Council, the U.S.-driven policy of economic sanctions has diminishing support. Outside of Great Britain, there is scant support for the continuing bombing of Iraq by U.S. planes to enforce the "no-fly" zone.

During this tenth anniversary year of the Persian Gulf war, FPIF will examine the various dimensions of U.S. policy in the gulf region. Related policy briefs, reports, and commentaries will appear on this special FPIF webpage.

Commentary

Iraq Bombings: Foreign Policy by Catharsis
Stephen Zunes (February 2001)

Paternal Legacies
Mary Ann Tétreault (January 2001)

Bush Administration Should Reevaluate Failed Clinton Policies in Middle East
Stephen Zunes (January 2001)

Bush’s Middle East Policy: Look to his Advisers
Chris Toensing and Ian Urbina (December 2000)

Special Reports

The Gulf War: Eight Myths
Stephen Zunes (January 2001)

Continuing Storm: U.S. Role in the Middle East
Stephen Zunes

Policy Briefs

U.S.-Supported Iraqi Opposition
Nicholas Arons (April 2001)

Iraq: Ten Years After the Gulf War
Stephen Zunes (January 2001)

U.S. - Iraq Conflict
Phyllis Bennis (November 1997)

Iran
Stephen Zunes (August 1997)

U.S. Oil Policy in the Middle East
Mamoun Fandy (January 1997)

U.S. - Iraq Policy: Recent Military Attacks
Phyllis Bennis (October 1996)

See the Middle East index for more information.