Highway of Death Statistics
There are several people who aren't even aware of the Highway of Death. Certainly, there are dangerous spots in main highways that people tend to call them by the name of 'death zone', or something similar. However, the most devastating and real Highway of Death is located between Iraq and Kuwait. It received this name back in the early nineties, during the well-known Gulf War. To this day, there isn't a clear report that states how many people died that day. However, official statistics state that there were at least 1,800 vehicles trapped and abandoned on the highway.
Death in Numbers
Even though it's always hard to deal with death and destruction, it's extremely important to keep and update a report with death statistics. During a time of war or natural disaster, the statistics help the authorities determine how many people are missing, and how many have already passed away. Cross-referencing this to the population, it provides a clearer view of the magnitude of the impact. Large and reputable newspapers revealed that at least 100,000 Iraqi soldiers perished in the war. However, it isn't clear how many of them died at the Highway of Death scene. In addition, several Human Rights organizations have stated that they believe this number is at least twice in size.
Fighting for a Cause
While it is true that the Highway of Death statistics are not accurate enough, in reality, the coalition was fighting for a greater cause. Kuwait was defended by the brave countries that were part of the UN authorized coalition. This coalition had set a goal to defend Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion. The tension between the two countries had been growing due to unpaid debts. Even though the Highway of Death was not a planned attack, it helped to stop the invasive troops. Iraq found themselves against 34 nations in the battlefield, and the rest of the world watched with accusing eyes. According to the war statistics, the U.S. had approximately 50,000 troops deployed, and there were many thousands non-U.S. troops as well.
End of a War With Highway of Death
Even though the Gulf War lasted for seven months, it felt like it was being prolonged for years. The United States happened to lose 76 of their aircrafts, but luckily, that was the only major equipment loss they suffered. The Saudi Arabian troops also suffered a few losses during the combat. They happened to be one of the major contributors to the cause, since they paid at least $30 billion. They saw their chance to stop the Iraqi troops when they were cruising Highway 80 and 8, which were later referred to as the Highway of Death. They were capable of blocking thousands of cars on the road, and they battled for about ten hours. Some of the Highway of Death statistics show that there were at least 1,800 vehicles trapped on the highway. It isn't known how many of the drivers were actual civilians, and how many were part of the offensive troops.