Original M1 Abrams were armed with a British Royal Ordnance L7 105mm gun, like above version with the US 24th Infantry Division. M1A1 versions upgraded to the 120mm gun. US incorporates tanks into infantry divisions to provide some level of organic armor, while designated armor divisions possess a higher allocation of tanks, self-propelled artillery, and mechanized logistical support. Royal Ordnance L7 105mm gun - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Ordnance_L7

Rollover : Another view of US 24th Infantry Division M1 tank. Barbwire is for local security during desert laager to prevent ease of enemy encroachment. Note the bundles of equipment huddled on the buste rack. Rear black vent is exhaust port for producing white smoke screen from mixing engine oil with water. The 24th is nicknamed 'Victory Division" from its WW2 battles in the Philippines, it was common practice for various US WW2 combat formations to adopt a "brand tagline" to boost morale and team cohesion. 24th Infantry Division "Victory Division" - www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/24id.htm

M1's advanced electronics includes the Inter-Vehicle Information System (IVIS): an encrypted radio information network linking multiple tank commanders on the battlefield. Realtime tank positions, maps, enemy targets can be network transmitted, thereby disseminating critical intelligence during engagements. Attacks on Inter Vehicle Communication Systems - an Analysis (PDF)

• Inter-Vehicle Communications: Assessing Information Dissemination (PDF)

Persian Gulf was under British influence during early 20th-century, with its control of Iraq, Kuwait, and Palestine. By 1950s, US began playing significant role to prevent Soviet regional domination.

Modern Persian Gulf conflict originated in late-1970s when US Carter Administration placed high emphasis on human rights doctrine as prerequisite for normal US relations. Hence US allies in Latin America and Middle East were heavily pressured to democratize their regimes. Although morally sound, human rights doctrine had near disastrous results for the US, its allied regimes were overthrow (ex. Iran, El Salvador, Nicaragua) and civil war ensued. Jimmy Carter - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter

Shah monarchy of Iran collapsed, power vacuum seized by Islamic Fundamentalists, of which became arch nemesis of the US for over two decades up to present era. World oil production was disrupted, US gasoline prices jumped from 50-cents to $1 USD / gallon in less than 6 months. Price shock sent a negative spiral through US economy with inflation rate hitting 18% and prime interest rate reaching 21%. US did not pull out of this recession until 1984 during the Reagan Administration. The Shah of Iran - www.rotten.com/library/bio/dictators/shah-of-iran/

With Iran racked with civil strife, Saddam Hussein of Iraq in 1980 launched a quick land-grab offensive into Iran's southwestern oil fields. Iranians countered with bloody street fighting and human wave assaults, pushing the Iraqi out of their territory by mid-1980s. Iran launched offensives into Basra region of Iraq, hoping to cut off Iraq's oil export corridor to the Persian Gulf. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Shah Iran) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Pahlavi_of_Iran

Persian Gulf States feared export of Iranian-style revolution would destabilize their governments, hence supported Iraqi war effort. US also viewed Iraq as defacto ally against Iran, thus shared military intelligence and hardware know-how. US naval forces escorted Iraqi oil shipments and destroyed Iranian maritime fortifications interfering with gulf traffic. Tensions on all sides were high, one result was the guided-missile destroyer USS Vincennes shot-down of an Iranian Airbus300 airline on 3 July 1988, the ship mistook it for an enemy F-14 fighter plane, killing all civilians onboard. BBC News 1988 - news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/3/newsid_4678000/4678707.stm

By 1988, Iraq and Iran were militarily spent and accommodated each other with a peace treaty. The 8-year war severely drained Iraqi's finances, Saddem Hussein demanded subsidies from Arab League members, which was declined. Near bankruptcy, Iraq altered the gambit and launched another land-grab offensive on the small yet prosperous gulf state Kuwait in Fall 1990. This took the US completely by surprise, fearing Iraqi domination of Persian Gulf oil supply, US altered its paradigm and placed Iraq on par with Iran as arch enemy of the US. As the old saying goes, in Washington DC, there are no allies, only temporary acquaintances. Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait; 1990 - www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_213.shtml

• Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait - www.indepthinfo.com/iraq/invasion.shtml

A History of Iraq ( ISBN: 962-361-729-1 )