Publisher's Synopsis
During the first two weeks of the air campaign in January 1991, the allies dropped more conventional explosives on Iraq and Kuwait than in the whole of World War II. This book analyzes the complex political-economic motivation and diplomatic manoeuvring that preceded the 42-day conflict. The author shows how Saddam Hussein made a grievous miscalculation by invading Kuwait. Intent on halting the rise of America as the sole superpower in the region, Saddam Hussein succeeded in enhancing Washington's prestige and curtailing Iraq's independence. This book also investigates the historical causes and consequences of the war - and the prospects of stability in a region where the gulf between those that have and have not got oil are as perilously wide as ever.
