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(Weapons and Warfare) |
1. There were many
issues involved in the run up to the Iran-Iraq War. Which do you think were the
most important to explain how the conflict started?
I find this largely forgotten war fascinating. Historically there
was long running bad blood between the countries stemming from religious and
ethnic differences. In my view the war in Iraqi Kurdistan during the 1970s was
the catalyst, because the Iranians backed the Iraqi Kurds. The Iranian
Revolution and the fall of the Shah offered Saddam Hussein a prime opportunity
for revenge.
At the same time Revolutionary Shia Iran was looking at Iraq
with a Shia majority population, but run by the Sunnis and thinking the country
was ripe for regime change.
2. What was Iraq’s
initial plan for the war and how did it go wrong so quickly?
It was this very issue that partly prompted me to write an
account of the war. Despite its significance it is a conflict that has been
neglected over the years.
Saddam planned for a short decisive war against Iran’s
weakened armed forces. In many ways the Iraqi invasion of Iran was similar to
Nazi Germany’s assault in the Soviet Union. The hope was that the invasion
would cause an internal collapse, but that did not happen. If the Ayatollah’s
government had fallen the hope was that pro-Shahists could be installed in Tehran,
who would be friendly toward Baghdad. In return Saddam would have got
concessions over the Shatt al-Arab Waterway and ‘Arabistan’ in southern Iran.
3. Iran and Iraq had two
of the largest militaries in the Middle East, but proved unprepared for the war
they fought. What is your assessment of the two armed forces and do you think
their deficiencies explain the length of the war and the massive casualties
they suffered?
What made the conflict interesting from a purely military
point of view was that the Iraqi armed forces were schooled in Soviet doctrine
while the Iranians had been trained by the Americans. This partly made the conflict
an extension of the Cold War. Although Iran had a much larger manpower reserves,
shortages of spares greatly hampered its armored and air forces.
They were though both armed to the teeth. Like many
countries Iraq and Iran were recipients of the Cold War bonanza whereby both
the Superpowers readily supplied enormous quantities of weapons to states they
considered allies. However, neither the Iraqis nor the Iranians had any
experience of conducting largescale armored warfare. Nor did either side have
attainable strategic goals, which resulted in a long drawn out conflict.
4. Iraq tried
different tactics like the Tanker War attacking shipping heading for Iran and the
War of Cities where it fired missiles and conducted air raids on Iran’s major
urban areas to try to force Iran to the negotiating table. How effective were
they?
Yes, Saddam’s generals tried everything once the war bogged
down on the battlefield, bombing, missiles and chemical weapons – the full
horrors of modern warfare. Iran of course reciprocated. By the end I think they
had the desired result, both countries were exhausted after eight years of war.
In a way Iraq’s tactics made the Iranians more determined than ever to triumph,
but Tehran recognized its forces were never going to reach Baghdad.
5. What finally
brought the war to an end in 1988?
Essentially they had fought each other to a standstill,
having suffered the most appalling casualties. There was complete deadlock on
the battlefield. Washington was becoming increasingly clear that it would
intervene if the Middle East’s oil supplies were cut off – and indeed had put
warships in the Gulf.
6. What were the long
term ramifications of the Iran-Iraq War?
These were far reaching and catastrophic. Saddam portrayed
himself as the victor and the champion of the Arab world. His subsequent
invasion of Kuwait sparked two further wars, but with the Western powers not
Iran. As for Iran it became ever more insular backing militant Shia groups
around the world such as Hezbollah. Iraq disturbingly became the wellspring for
Islamic State or Daesh, which is the subject of my next book charting the
collapse of Iraq and Syria.
5 comments:
Excuse me but Iran did NOT launch attacks on Iraqi cities nor did it use chemical weapons, not even legally and in self-defense, despite US propaganda efforts at the time to shift the blame for atrocities such as the gassing of the Kurds in Halabja onto Iran
Iran didn't use chemical weapons during the war but it did attack Iraqi cities. Sep 24 Iranian planes hit Baghdad and again on Sep 30 1980 right at the start of the war There were also the 3 wars of the cities where the two sides bombed and fired missiles at each others majorurban areas
No this is it
Jole,
Iran didn't use chemical weapons during the war but it did attack Iraqi cities.
Let first correct your writings:
Iraq had had files tents of compliances to UN Security Council, this should be visited before writing in this matter
as for "Iran didn't use chemical weapons" you should not neglect the report by your senior intelligence regarding this matter:
A War Crime Or an Act of War?
By Stephen C. Pelletiere
Jan. 31, 2003
I don't blame US President Trump keep telling more and more "fake news"
The captured Baathist archives has an audio tape where Saddam talks about gassing the Kurds. During the tape Saddam says "Kill them all". I'll take Saddam's actual words over that article.
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