Changes in America

The First Gulf War has come to be known as the operation Desert Storm. In some circles, it is also called the Iraq war. The origin of this war is traced back to the early 1990s, when Iraq decided to invade Kuwait. This led to an international outcry, causing the USA to lead several other nations in attacking Iraq. Economic sanctions were also imposed on the country. This war was the first major international crisis following the Cold War.

The involvement of the USA was both a political and economic move. Being a super power, the USA wanted to prove its influence in international politics. Also, Kuwait was an ally of the USA, and showing support at the time of need was crucial. The volatile state of the Middle East also demanded a strong voice in settling the matter. The international community had to deal with many crises in the Middle East, including the ongoing wrangles between Israel and Palestine. The USA hence showed power and gained respect in international circles by leading the invasion of Iraq.

The move was also instrumental in protecting the USA interest in oil. A crisis between Iraq and Kuwait would have led to an increase in the international price of oil. Before the invasion of Kuwait, the price per barrel was approximately $18. The conflict saw the price shoot up to over $40. This was unacceptable, especially since the USA was grappling with the possibility of a recession. The involvement of the USA hence helped reduce the effects of the war on oil prices, thus, ensuring that the world economy stayed in check.

According to some assessments, the country actually made a profit from participating in the war. Since it was the leading invader, the USA received numerous grants of support from other countries. As said earlier, most countries were in favor of an end to the war so as to contain oil prices. These grants amounted to over $50 billion. Part of this money remained in excess after the war ended. This gave a boost to the economy. The country spent less than $20 billion. However, some sources within the government raised controversy saying that the country spent over $60 billion.

The country suffered a loss in military personnel. This was the greatest hit that the USA received during the war. However, the casualty numbers were not very high. In fact, they were less than 300. These were, however, American soldiers whose absence was a blow to the military.

This war was an opportunity for the USA to build a good reputation in Middle Eastern political circles. This objective was achieved through the country’s participation. Hence, in both the political and economic sense, the war was a success and a positive step for the USA. The outcome of the war was positive for the country. The world got the impression that the USA was an indispensable ally to have in the time of crisis.

The Iran-contra affair was a secret government mission which was aimed at paving the way for the release of American hostages held in Iran. Due to the nature of the operation, the activities were not officially approved by the government. However, top officials in the White House, including President Reagan, were aware of the activities. The affair involved supply of military weapons to Iran for the training of their military forces. It is presumed that these forces were then to operate in Nicaragua as guerrilla forces. This led to an international crisis which involved illegal sale of weaponry and violation of human rights.

The principal motivation behind the affair was the release of hostages held in Iran. This was a noble course undertaken to ensure the integrity of all Americans, as provided by the Constitution. The means taken to achieve this end were, however, illegal. In a way, the mission was necessary. The holding of American hostages was seen as an act of war. Since there was no quicker way of resolving the issue, this covert mission was somewhat necessary. The country could have been construed to be weak if it had allowed its citizens to be tortured in a foreign country without reacting.

The affair resulted in bad blood between the USA and Nicaragua. This would have been avoided, had the secret affair not taken place. There is a possibility that the country would have enjoyed better relations with South America if the Iran contra-affair had not occurred. For years, affairs between these two regions have not been rosy. This could be one of the causes. The USA was also seen as to be in support of human rights violation, a fact that was not true. It took some time for this stain to fade off the image of the country.

The affair caused a taint on the American presidency. The president was implicated in the covert affair. In fact, according to his memoir, he had full knowledge of the activities and did nothing to stop them or seek an alternative solution. This occurred just a decade after the Watergate scandal, and the country was just recovering from another tainted presidency. Although the institution managed to save face and recover, it was not as strong as it used to be. It was also Reagan’s last term in office. It was unlikely that he would get another chance in office after such a scandal. All in all, the affair was a blow and a shaky occurrence for the country.