Final answer:
UN Security Council Resolution 687 set the terms of peace after the Gulf War and authorized the UN to maintain peace, which was used as the legal basis for future military interventions in Iraq.
Step-by-step explanation:
The United Nations Security Council Resolution 687, adopted after the Gulf War in 1991, set the terms of the peace with long-term implications. This resolution is significant as it contained a concluding paragraph that authorized the UN to take necessary steps to maintain the peace. This authority was used for subsequent military interventions in Iraq, specifically in 1996, and 1998, and was also referenced in the lead-up to the second invasion of Iraq in 2003. The resolution was part of a broader scope of international law that allows the Security Council to take actions such as military interventions, sanctions, and arms embargoes in order to address transnational threats to international security.