Final answer:
The key difference between the Gulf War and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is that the U.S. was not directly attacked before entering the Gulf War. The Gulf War focused on liberating Kuwait and protecting oil reserves, whereas the Iraq War was influenced by the control and contracts of oil resources, and the Afghanistan War was a response to terrorist attacks.
Step-by-step explanation:
The key difference between the Gulf War and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is that the United States was not directly attacked before entering the Gulf War. The Gulf War was initiated in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, with the primary goal being to liberate Kuwait and protect global oil reserves. In contrast, the United States invaded Iraq in 2003 due to concerns about weapons of mass destruction, and the operation in Afghanistan was a direct response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
The Gulf War was relatively short, with a ground invasion lasting approximately 100 hours before a ceasefire was in place. This is markedly different from the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, which were lengthy engagements involving occupation and nation-building efforts. Additionally, oil and resource control were central issues in the Gulf War, as Saddam Hussein sought control over Kuwait's oil wealth, while the Iraq War involved existing oil contracts being reassigned to US and British oil contractors post-invasion.