<Li> Liberation and Defense of Kuwait for the period 17 January 1991, through 11 April 1991 . </Li> <Li> Southwest Asia Cease - Fire for the period 12 April 1991, through 30 November 1995, including Operation Provide Comfort . </Li> <P> Throughout the Cold War, Iraq had been an ally of the Soviet Union, and there was a history of friction between it and the United States . The US was concerned with Iraq's position on Israeli--Palestinian politics . The US also disliked Iraqi support for many Arab and Palestinian militant groups such as Abu Nidal, which led to Iraq's inclusion on the developing US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism on 29 December 1979 . The US remained officially neutral after Iraq's invasion of Iran in 1980, which became the Iran--Iraq War, although it provided resources, political support, and some "non-military" aircraft to Iraq . In March 1982, Iran began a successful counteroffensive (Operation Undeniable Victory), and the US increased its support for Iraq to prevent Iran from forcing a surrender . In a US bid to open full diplomatic relations with Iraq, the country was removed from the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism . Ostensibly, this was because of improvement in the regime's record, although former US Assistant Defense Secretary Noel Koch later stated: "No one had any doubts about (the Iraqis') continued involvement in terrorism...The real reason was to help them succeed in the war against Iran ." With Iraq's newfound success in the war, and the Iranian rebuff of a peace offer in July, arms sales to Iraq reached a record spike in 1982 . When Iraqi President Saddam Hussein expelled Abu Nidal to Syria at the US's request in November 1983, the Reagan administration sent Donald Rumsfeld to meet Saddam as a special envoy and to cultivate ties . By the time the ceasefire with Iran was signed in August 1988, Iraq was heavily debt - ridden and tensions within society were rising . Most of its debt was owed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait . Iraq pressured both nations to forgive the debts, but they refused . </P> <P> The Iraq--Kuwait dispute also involved Iraqi claims to Kuwait as Iraqi territory . Kuwait had been a part of the Ottoman Empire's province of Basra, something that Iraq claimed made it rightful Iraqi territory . Its ruling dynasty, the al - Sabah family, had concluded a protectorate agreement in 1899 that assigned responsibility for its foreign affairs to the United Kingdom . The UK drew the border between the two countries in 1922, making Iraq virtually landlocked . Kuwait rejected Iraqi attempts to secure further provisions in the region . </P>

The leader of iraq during the persian gulf war was