The maritime element in the 1990–91 Gulf crisis: Drawing on the dividends of half a century of multinational naval operations

doi:10.4324/9780203945322-21

Chapter

The maritime element in the 1990–91 Gulf crisis: Drawing on the dividends of half a century of multinational naval operations

ABSTRACT

The coalition that enforced the United Nations sanctions against Iraq in 1990 and supported the campaign in 1991 to liberate Kuwait was the largest and most diverse since the Korean War. Arguably, the maritime component was its most complex element. The naval force levels of the United States and its partners were also more closely balanced in capability than was the case on land.