Final answer:
The main reason the U.S. fought Iraq in the Persian Gulf War was to protect its economic interests in oil and to liberate Kuwait from Iraq's invasion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main reason the U.S. fought Iraq during the Persian Gulf War was to protect economic interests in oil and to liberate Kuwait after Iraq's invasion. In geographic and strategic terms, the war was largely about resources. When Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded Kuwait, it took over its oil industry and port facilities, which were assets to international oil corporations and vital to the global oil supply. In response, the United States, backed by United Nations resolutions and an international coalition, launched Operation Desert Storm to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait and ensure the continued free flow of oil.