The world at large could not ignore this situation the was unfolding in the middle east. Saddam was about to control almost half of the world's oil supplies. He was also committing horrible crimes against humanity in Kuwait while his men occupied it. (To see UN Security Council resolutions on these crime and others click here to see a listing of these resolutions click here)
The coalition forces had to set up a defense before Saddam
invaded Saudi Arabia. They sent troops in trying to prevent Saddam from
taking over Saudi Arabia. They got there in time in enough numbers.
But strategists say that if Saddam had not waited after taking over Kuwait that
he would have been able
to take control of Saudi Arabia before any of the coalition could do anything
about it. Instead Saddam waited until January 30, 1991 to proceed forward
into Saudi Arabia. This was quickly put down by the coalition forces.
The day after the United Nations resolution deadline expired, January 16, 1991, the United States started their campaign against Iraq. Bombs were dropped on Baghdad, radar and air defense installations were attacked from the air. These attacks rendered the Iraqis worthless in the air and destroy the ability for Iraq to retaliate. Other forces form the United Nations helped with the air and ground campaign. (click here for a Photo Gallery of the Gulf War)
As a part of their defense Saddam authorized the dumping of massive amounts of oil into the Persian Gulf to prevent a amphibious assault against Iraq and Iraqi controlled Kuwait. He also authorized the ignition of about 700 oil wells to inhibit the ability of sight from the air to the ground. (For many facts on this war click here)
On February 23, 1991 the ground war was kicked off. The foreign forces invaded Kuwait a high speeds. Some people say that this was just a prisoner round up and the air attack actually defeated the Iraqis but this is all just opinion. A cease fire was signed on February 27, 1991 between Saddam and the coalition forces. In just a hundred hours on the ground.