Before the Gulf war, Iraq imported about two-thirds of its food.

ECONOMIST: Iraq

The Gulf is so far away that prior to World War Two, few Americans thought there was any reason to visit the sparsely populated region, much less establish a permanent military presence there.

FORBES: What Happens When America No Longer Needs Middle East Oil?

Thanks to the Lockerbie disaster, the Gulf war and a recession, air travel then fell for two years in a row.

ECONOMIST: Aircraft industry

He disregarded warnings from the national security adviser during the first Gulf War, the chief of staff of the army, two former commanding generals of the Central Command, whose jurisdiction includes Iraq, the director of operations on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and many, many others with great integrity and long experience in national security affairs.

CNN: Transcript: Webb says Bush took U.S. to war 'recklessly'

The 1991 Gulf war battered tourism, but ended with foreign creditors forgiving nearly two-thirds of the country's debt.

ECONOMIST: Egypt's economic misfortunes, miseries and mistakes