The Gulf War and Veterans

The First Gulf War

On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded their oil-rich neighbor, Kuwait, under the leadership of President Saddam Hussein. In response, the U.S. government formed a coalition with NATO allies as well as Syria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. While Russia did not commit to send troops, President Gorbachev did join the U.S. in condemning the actions of Iraq. By August 8, U.S. Air Force fighter planes arrived in a military buildup dubbed “Operation Desert Shield.”

When Hussein refused to withdraw from Kuwait after United Nations Security Council demands, the coalition took further military action. Air strikes began in January of 1991, followed by a ground war dubbed “Operation Desert Storm.” Approximately 750,000 coalition troops were involved, including over 540,000 Americans (over 700,000 Americans were deployed throughout the entire conflict). The ground offensive was short-lived, launched on February 24th and lasting only a few days. By February 28th, President George H.W. Bush declared a ceasefire, by which time most Iraqi troops had fled, surrendered, or been killed.

While the operation was meant to be a “limited” war, the after effects of the conflict were far-reaching. In the immediate aftermath of the war, Hussein’s forces turned their attentions to brutally suppressing Kurd and Shi’ite uprisings in different regions in Iraq. U.S. and British aircrafts continued to patrol the surrounding skies for years to come, making Iraq a no-fly zone. Iraqi officials continued to resist mandated peace terms such as U.N. weapons inspections. As a result, there was a brief resumption of military hostilities in 1998 which resulted in Iraq refusing to submit to any weapons inspections. Airfire was exchanged between coalition planes and Iraqi troops regularly.

The First Gulf War was the first large-scale conflict to occur in the age of the 24-hour news channel; Americans watched as the first planes took off and the first missiles were launched. Reporters on the ground relayed events in real time, allowing civilians to see the reality of the devastation. While the war was short-lived and was viewed favorably by many Americans, the ability to see events as they unfolded was unprecedented.

While the initial military conflict lasted only a few months, the humanitarian impact of the crisis lasted much longer. The devastation caused to Iraqi infrastructure was wide-reaching and the people of Iraq were greatly impacted. As Hussein and the other leaders of Iraq would not submit to U.N. demands, the U.S. continued to impose economic sanctions on the country, which led to even more damage for the Iraqi citizenry. While the coalition may have “won” the war, the innocent people of Iraq were the ones to really lose.

Escalating tensions between Iraq, the U.N, and NATO allies led to another war which began in 2002.

Civilians and coalition military forces wave Kuwaiti and Saudi Arabian flags as they celebrate the retreat of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Photo credit: Wikipedia.

Impacts on Veterans of the First Gulf War

While casualties amongst coalition troops were low during the conflict, the impact upon veterans returning from the war was not. Veterans of the First Gulf War have suffered greatly from their time in combat, both in physical and mental health. Over 200,000 American veterans suffer from what is known as Gulf War Illness, a set of symptoms including chronic pain, fatigue, and memory impairment caused by sarin chemical warfare agent, pesticides, and pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills meant to protect soldiers from nerve gas during deployment. According to researchers, these exposures may also be causing Gulf War veterans to suffer higher rates and earlier onset of other chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, chronic bronchitis, and other conditions. “Gulf War veterans are showing accelerated aging patterns resulting in more and earlier chronic medical conditions than the general population of civilians,” says study author and professor of environmental health, Kimberley Sullivan.

All of these increased negative health outcomes are also often paired with mental health issues such as cognitive impairment or brain fog, insomnia, depression, anxiety, attention deficits, and PTSD. According to the VA National Center for PTSD, approximately 12% of Gulf War veterans have diagnosed PTSD.

While many of these health problems have arisen as these veterans have aged, the impact of war and returning home to a world that was different than the one they left was not easy for Gulf War vets. Not to mention any disabling physical impacts, the mental toll of the trauma of war, and the weight of the moral cost of service they would face upon their return home.

Troops march towards the Pentagon during the National Victory Celebration Parade on June 8, 1991, in Washington. Photo credit: Doug Mills, Associated Press.