The Gulf War - An Environmental Disaster Essay - 2826 Words

While militarily, the Gulf War of 1990-91 seemed like a quick and decisive victory, it was an environmental disaster, both at the time and when considering the residual impacts. Environmental travesties were committed by both the Iraqi aggressor and the allied forces, ranging from use of minerals like depleted uranium in weapons to deliberate dumping of oil into the Gulf. Oil fires and spills had a severe impact on all forms of life, most prominent in the Gulf region, but with possible global implications. Human health, wildlife, natural resources and ecosystems were all adversely impacted by actions taken and not taken by both sides of the conflict. Controversy over where the oil that spilled into the Persian Gulf in the early†¦show more content†¦The impacts of the spill were not immediately known because of the slow flow of information coming out of the region. Also, a gag order originating in the Bush White House specifically prohibited American scientists from discussing the impact of the oil spills. (Hawley, p 47-48) The water exchange rate in the Persian Gulf is relatively slow and the area has classic low energy shorelines. All of this meant that cleanup efforts would be slow and that the natural recovery would take years and years. The low energy shoreline along the Saudi Arabian coast means that there are no crashing waves that could wash away oil on the beaches. Also, the shore has a naturally gentle slope, which means that high tide would wash oil all the way up the beach, impacting all the shore birds and other organisms. (Hawley p 54) The threat to human life by the oil spills in the Gulf was very real. In fact, the recovery efforts in the area focused on desalination plants that supplied water to much of the population. (Hawley p 53) The contamination of Gulf water was a direct threat to the water supply. In addition, much of the 500 kilometers of coastline that were affected by the oil spills consisted of wetlands and mangroves. (Clark p 102) Both of these provide important habitats and are essential to the sustainability of all life. The oil spills that began in January 1991 had both direct and indirect consequences for marine animals living in the Persian GulfShow MoreRelatedPetroleum And Natural Gas Exploration Essay1701 Words   |  7 Pagesefforts in recreating themselves have since stalled, leading to unmotivated employees and decreased profits. Although British Petroleum has solid production sites in Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and various areas of the U.S, the brand’s name remains so tainted from past violations. 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