On 29 November 1990, the adoption of
United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 authorized the assembly of a multinational military coalition to fight against
Iraq in the
Gulf War. The coalition's purpose was to liberate
Iraqi-occupied Kuwait by "all necessary means" if Iraq did not withdraw by 15 January 1991. Iraq failed to relinquish control over
Kuwait by the deadline specified in Resolution 678, leading to the commencement of combat operations with the
Gulf War aerial bombardment campaign on 17 January 1991. At this time, the coalition consisted of 42 countries and was spearheaded by the
United States: the central command was led by the United States,
Saudi Arabia, and the
United Kingdom; the marine command was led by the United States; the Joint Forces East Command was led by
Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
Syria,
Morocco,
Kuwait,
Oman, the
United Arab Emirates,
Qatar,
Bahrain,
Poland, and
Czechoslovakia; and the Joint Forces North Command was led by the United States, the United Kingdom,
France,
Canada,
Italy,
Australia,
Japan, and
Turkey. On 23 February 1991, the aerial bombardment campaign came to an end as the coalition began a large-scale ground offensive (the
Liberation of Kuwait campaign) into Iraqi-occupied Kuwait and parts of Iraq. The Iraqi military was devastated in the fighting, and Kuwait was declared completely free of occupying Iraqi troops on 28 February 1991.
Member states
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Argentina
Argentina had 500 troops, two corvettes, a destroyer, two cargo planes and three helicopters.[1] It led the
Operation Alfil.
Australia contributed at least one guided missile frigate, one destroyer and one supply ship.[2]
Bahrain
Bahraini forces were about 400 with base guards.
Bangladesh
Bangladeshi personnel was around 2,300.[3] Their codenamed
Operation Moruprantar and Security Personnel including two field Ambulance teams. Bangladeshi commander was
Zubayr Siddiqui.
Belgium
Belgian forces had about 400 troops and base engineers, two minesweepers, one squadron of fighters to Turkey.[2]
Canada
Canada's personnel was around 4,600 and Canadian forces participated in
Operation Friction.
The French personnel was around 18,000 and participated in
Opération Daguet. It provided LTG Michel Roquejeoffre: 20,000 troops, 14 ships, one CV, more than 75 aircraft, 350 tanks, & 6th Armored Division.[2] The prominent
Michel Roquejeoffre was a leader in the Gulf War.
Germany
Germany gave one squadron of fighters to Turkey.[3]
Greece
Greek forces included Hellenic Air Force pilots and ground support staff,
one frigate in Red Sea.[2]
Honduras
Honduras gave 150 personnel with Washington Post reporting Honduras might send 350 more.[2]
Hungary
The Hungarian personnel was about 40 people. It provided a medical team.[4]
Italy
Italian personnel was around 1,950 and Italian forces participated in the
Operazione Locusta and deployed eight
Panavia Tornado strike attack aircraft, Naval deployment (Operazione Golfo 2). Four ships, eight Tornado fighters, six F-104 fighters to Turkey. Italian commander was
Mario Arpino.
Kuwait
Kuwaiti resistance included around 9,900 personnel.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg provided financial support as well as peacekeeping to assist civilians.[5][6]
Morocco
Moroccan personnel was around 13,000 and they reportedly provided security personnel.
Netherlands had naval deployment; Air Force deployments of Surface-to-Air Missiles to Turkey and Israel.
Niger
Niger had about 680 personnel and Patroller group. At least 480 troops guarding shrines in Mecca and Medina.[2]
Norway
Norway had 280 personnel with naval vessel and field hospital + intelligence information.
Oman
Omani personnel was around 6,300.
Pakistan
Mirza Aslam Beg, the
Chief of Army Staff, endorsed the campaign against Iraq. In a briefing given to
presidentGhulam Ishaq Khan, Beg maintained the assessment that once the ground battle with the
Iraqi Army was joined, the Iraqi Army would comprehensively defeat and repel the
American Army.[8] Pakistani personnel was around 4,900–5,500. Ironically, Beg accused the Western countries for encouraging Iraq to invade Kuwait, though he kept his armed forces fighting against Iraq in support to
Saudi Arabia.[9][10] In 1990, he held state dinner for
United States Central Command (SCENTCOM) commander General
Norman Schwarzkopf where, together with
Chairman Joint Chiefs Admiral
Iftikhar Sirohey, brief the USCENTCOM on
Pakistan Armed Forces battle preparations and military operational capabilities of Pakistan armed forces in Saudi contingent.[11] The war was a polarizing political issue in Pakistan and Beg carefully commanded and deployed the Pakistan Armed Forces' contingent forces during
Operation Desert Storm in 1991.[10][12] Beg calculated that the popular opinion would be in favor of Iraq, as the anti-American sentiment in the Middle East began to grow at that time.[8] But, neither did Beg's strategic prediction come true nor did he get an extension.[8] Soon after the end of Gulf war, Beg proceeded towards his retirement on 18 August 1991.[8]
Philippines
The Philippines sent around 200 medical personnel to assist
coalition forces in the liberation of
Kuwait.
Poland
Polish forces participated in
Operation Simoom and had naval and medical deployment. Their personnel was 319.
Portugal
Logistic support with one Military Logistic Ship and 2
Lockheed C-130 Hercules transporter aircraft.[13][14] Portuguese personnel was estimated to be 52.
Qatar
Qatar gave around 2,600 personnel. Qatari forces participated in the
Battle of Khafji.
Romania
Romania participated with 363 medical personnel and 21 soldiers from February 1991. As part of
Operation Granby, the medical team with a field hospital were deployed to
al-Jubayl.[15][16][17]
Singapore sent 30 military personnel to provide medical and humanitarian services under
Operation Nightingale and nine military support teams in 1991, with 990 military personnel, electronic intelligence, naval and aerial assets during
Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 until 2008.[18]
South Korea
South Korean personnel was 314 with medical and transportation support,
Spain
Spain had 500 on the field and 3,000 off the coast. Engineers, 2 corvettes and one destroyer patrolling near Bab al Mandeb[2]
Syria
Syria's personnel was around 14,500 and participated in the Operation Desert Storm. Syrian military officer was
Mustafa Tlass.
Sweden
Swedish personnel was about 525 and included a field hospital.[19]
Turkey
Turkey played a role in the air assault against Iraq.[20]
United Arab Emirates
Emirati forces were around 4,300 personnel.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom participated in
Operation Granby and
Battle of Norfolk. It reportedly gave 16 ships, 58 aircraft, 1st Armd Div HQ, 7th Armd Bde, 4th Armd Bde.[2] British soldiers in the war were reportedly 53,462.[21] British leaders included
Patrick Hine, the joint commander of all British forces,
Michael Graydon, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
RAF Strike Command,
Peter de la Billière - Commander-in-Chief of British Forces and
John Chapple, Chief of the General Staff.
According to sources, 300 members of the anti-communist militias,
Afghan mujahideen, joined the coalition towards the end of the war on 11 February 1991.[23][24] Iraqi Kurdish rebel groups also reportedly rebelled against Saddam.[25]
1 MEKO 360 (
Almirante Brown class):
ARA Almirante Brown (D-10) (CF A. Tierno). ARA Almirante Brown navigated 25.000 NM in the designated area for operations, as part of GT 88, together with ARA Spiro. Returned to Argentina on 25 April, 1991.
Frigates
2 MEKO 140 A16 (Espora class):
ARA Spiro (P-43) (CF O. Gonzalez),
ARA Rosales (P-42) (CC Tebaldi / CC Rossi). ARA Spiro returned to Argentina on 23 May 1991, together with ARA Almirante Brown (D-10). It had navigated 23000 NM in the operations area during the conflict.
Amphibious cargo ships
1
Costa Sur class:
ARA Bahia San Blas (B-5). Loaded with medicine and food, for humanitarian aid. This ship along with ARA Rosales (P-42) formed GT 88.1, and replaced GT 88.0 formed by ARA Almirante Brown and ARA Spiro.
Helicopters
2
Alouette III (3-H-109 and 3-H-112), from 1° Esc. Aeronaval de Helicopteros (EA1H) (C.C. Alomar). Totalling 67 flights. Operated initially with P-43 and D-10. One of the Alouette suffered an accident, with no casualties.
^
abHossain, Ishtiaq (April 1997). "Bangladesh and the Gulf War: Response of a Small State". Pakistan Horizon. 50 (2). Pakistan Institute of International Affairs: 42.
JSTOR41393571.
^Hiro, Dilip (2003). Desert shield to desert storm : the second Gulf war. New York: Authors Choice Press.
ISBN0-595-26904-4.
^
abGhareeb, Majid Khadduri, Edmund (2001). War in the Gulf, 1990–91: the Iraq-Kuwait conflict and its implications. Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford University Press, Ghareeb.
ISBN0-19-514979-3.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
^Petre, H. Norman Schwarzkopf, written by Peter (1993). It doesn't take a hero : the autobiography (Bantam paperback ed.). New York: Bantam Books.
ISBN0-553-56338-6.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)