US President George Bush announced the ceasefire at the end of the 1991 Gulf War on this day 20 years ago. The war was precipitated after Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces in August 1990 and then failed to withdraw by the deadline set by the UN. The US, Britain and various other allied countries launched Operation Desert Storm on 16 January 1991 with aerial attacks, followed by a quick and devastating land offensive on 24 February.
Four days later, the US president declared victory. Kuwait had been liberated and Iraq had been forced to agree to the UN resolutions, but Saddam Hussein remained in power. President Bush is reported to have said: “Kuwait is liberated. Iraq’s army is defeated. Our military objectives are met… This is a victory for all mankind, for the rule of law and for what is right.” A short war is a good one, but subsequent events led many to ask whether victory was declared too soon.
After the ceasefire, Iraq frequently violated the terms of the ceasefire agreements, and refused to allow UN weapons inspectors to carry out their inspections. The fear that Saddam Hussein’s regime might be manufacturing and hiding weapons of mass destruction – a fear subsequently found to be based on poor intelligence – resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq starting in 2003, with immense costs and enormous loss of life.