The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990 marked the beginning of America’s “endless wars” in the Middle East. Before that point, American combat operations in the region had been generally temporary and short-term. On July 17, 1958, the Iraqi army overthrew the most pro-Western government in the Middle East, the Hashemite monarchy that then ruled both Iraq and Jordan. The next combat operation also involved fears of Nasserism and the Russians. In the years after 1964, American combat operations in the region were usually short-lived.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 27, 2020 13:18 UTC