Gulf Wars

1990-1991 / 2003-2011 - US involvement

The Hurt Locker, Katheryn Bigelow (2008)

1990: Iraq invades neighboring Kuwait. Operation Desert Storm (a US-led alliance of 32 countries) forces Iraq to leave Kuwait.

March 2003: American, British and other troops invade Iraq on the grounds that the country has weapons of mass destruction (none are found).

Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is deposed, leading to chaos and sectarian violence. The US maintains a force of 39,000 troops in Iraq to "advise and assist".

December 2011: all US troops withdrawn from Iraq.