War does not determine

who is right - only who is

left.Bertrand Russell

Iran Iraq
War

Amit Mehla

Mohammad-Reza Shah
Irans former leader, lost
his power during the
Iranian revolution, that
transformed Iran from an
absolute monarchy to an
Islamic republic.

Let me tell you quite

bluntly that this king
business has given me
personally nothing but
headaches. Mohammed
Reza Pahlavi

Saddam Hussein
Dictator of Iraq from 1979 until
2003, when his regime was
overthrown by a United Statesled invasion. He was hanged
after the Trials of Saddam
Hussein, when he answered for
all of his crimes against
humanity.
"The only thing that ever consoles man
for the stupid things he does is the praise
he always gives himself for doing them.
Oscar Wilde

Ruhollah
Khomeini

Iranian religious leader and

politician, and leader of the 1979
Iranian Revolution which saw the
overthrow of Mohammad Reza
Pahlavi. Following the revolution and
a national referendum, Khomeini
became the country's Supreme
Leadera position created in the
constitution as the highest ranking
political and religious authority of
the nationuntil his death.

Origins
The Arabs and Persians (natives of Persia, mostly descendants from places
other than Arabia) have been historical rivals
dating back centuries. Iran and Iraq, while under British and Turkish rule,

Iran Iraq

also had a number of border disputes. In particular, the two have disputed
control of the Shatt al-Arab, the major waterway connecting the Persian
Gulf with the Iranian ports of Khorramshahr and Abadan, and the Iraqi
port of Basra.

In 1937 a treaty was signed that established the Shatt as a

boundary betweenIraqandIran(then theOttomans and the
Persians, respectively).

Iraqi
spokesperson
said that Iran
was already
attacking
some Iraqi
towns since
September 4.

The war officially began in September 22

of 1980, when Iraq invaded Iran, trying to
conquer the land of Shatt al-Arab.

In 1975, a militarily weaker Iraq had by

treaty signed over to Iran partial control of
the waterway (Shatt al-Arab).

Iran Iraq
In 1979, after the fall of Mohammad-Reza Shah, when Irans
military was weak because of the Iranian revolution, Iraq seized
an opportunity to reclaim the land of Shatt al-Arab, and tried to
conquer Khuzestan, an area known for its extensive oil fields .

1975 Algiers Agreement

Mid-point of the waterway will serve as the dividing line

between the two states

Iran will stop supporting the Kurdish uprising

Iran was to compensate territorially with 400 square

kilometers in the central Ahwaz zone

Commissions were established to redraw the boundary lines

The work not complete when the Iranian Revolution
started
Iranian leaders expressed their intentions to export their
revolution to
neighboring countries
Renewed fighting in Kurdish areas and revolution support in
AlDa'wa
Party Hussein viewed as violation of treaty
Agreement publically torn up by Hussein 5 days before invasion

Muslim vs. Muslim

A more important issue than geography was religion. Both
nations are Muslim, with the leaders of Iraq primarily from the
Sunni branch, and the Iranians, the Shiite. Prior to the Iranian
revolution, the distinction between the countries was less
religious than ideological. The ruling Ba'ath Party in Iraq was

Iran Iraq

socialist and pro-Soviet, whereas the Iranian shah was antisocialist (though certainly not democratic) and pro-Western
.
I

Ethnic religious make up

Iran

Iraq

Iran Iraq

Persian

Shiite majority

Arab

Shiite majority
Sizable and dominant
sunni population as
well

The Iraqi offensive was

initially successful,
capturing the port city of
Khorramshahr by the end
of 1980.
Iranian resistance proved
strong, however, and
Iraqi troops had
withdrawn from the
occupied portions of Iran
by early 1982.

Iranian leader Ruhollah

Khomeini declared that
Iran would not cease
fighting until Saddam's
regime was toppled.

Iran begins attacking with success over

Iraq, what results in researches on
chemical weapons by Iraq.

1984 Irans
troops capture the
oil-rich Majnoon
Islands from Iraq.

1985 Both sides

start to strike their
opponents capital.

The USA and several Western

Europe countries become active
after Iranian attacks on Kuwaiti oil
tankers.

Effects
Civilians many civilians died from bombing or as voluntary
soldiers
Casualties
Iran acknowledged that nearly 300,000 people died in the war
Iraq suffered an estimated 375,000 casualties. Another 60,000
were taken prisoner by the Iranians.

Economic Both sides had huge economic impact

(Iraqs bad economy Gulf war 1991)

Political: regimes of both Iraq and Iran did not change much
after this war. However, the war made both regimes
oppressed

We know more about war that we know

about peace, more about killing that we know
about living.Omar Bradley
1.5 million of innocents
killed.
More then $200 billion
invested.
Thousands of injured
people.
Incalculable lives
destroyed

Give me the money that has

been spent in war and I will clothe
every man, woman, and child in
an attire of which kings and
queens will be proud. I will build a
schoolhouse in every valley over
the whole earth. I will crown
every hillside with a place of
worship consecrated to

In
the peace
i
fath r fath , sons
e
son ers b rs. In bury
ur
s.
w
He y the ar,
rod
ir
otu
s

Irans attacks sullied its international reputation

considerably, making it difficult for Khomeini to
obtain arms.

W
th he
Sa e po n t h
rt or e r
re
w h i ch
o
di wag
e.
J e w
ea a r
n- , i t
Pa 's
ul

Iraq
Allies
Kuwait
Saudi Arab
France
Soviet Union
U.S.

Iran
Allies
Syria
Libya
China
North Korea
Israel

I d o
n
durin 't know w
g
h
durin peace, o ether wa
g wa
r is a
r pea
r. G
c
e
an in n interlu
eorg
te
de
es C
leme rlude
ncea
u

If we don't end war, war will end us. H.

G. Wells

Finally, in July, 1988, Iran

was forced to accept a
United Nationsmandated
cease-fire, once the
country was being
pressed by the Iraqi
attacks and the USA
influence.

How did the war end?

The war stopped when Iran accepted UN
Security council Resolution 598 (urging
Iraq and Iran to accept a cease-fire,
withdraw their forces to internationally
recognized boundaries, and settle their
frontier disputes by negotiations held
under UN auspices), leading to a 20 August
1988 cease-fire.
Thus, the war in a sense no winner, and
both countries suffered from the war.

R
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PERSIAN GULF STATES

How did the war

start?
Iraqs territorial claims: Kuwait, two islands, and a
border over a rich oil field

Of the worlds oil reserves, Iraq claimed 10% versus

Kuwait which possessed 11%
Saddam Husseins accusations: OPEC exceeded
production quotas and lowered prices
Iraqs war debt from the 8-year war with Iran
created a debt greater than $250 billion dollars and
$30 billion was owed to Kuwait which Saddam
wanted forgiven
August 2, 1990: Iraqi tanks swept into Kuwait City.
In two days Iraqi occupied Kuwait. Iraq had the 4th
largest army in the world 1 million men and 5,700
tanks

Kuwait
A small nation located at
the northwestern end of
the Persian Gulf
The ruling monarchy of the
Al-Sabah family dates from
the 1700s when first
settled
Vast underground oil
reserves found in 1930s
Kuwaitis have enjoyed a
high standard of living
including
no income
tax and benefits of
free education, health
care as well as social
services

Resolution 660,661,678
Within hours of the invasion, Kuwaiti and U.S.
delegation requested a meeting of the UN
security council, which passed Resolution
660, Condemning the invasion and
demanding a withdrawal of Iraqi troops.
On 6 Aug UN Resolution 661 placed
economic sanction on Iraqto halt all
inward and outward maritime shipping in
order to inspect and verify their cargoes and
destinations.
On Nov 29,1990 the U.N. passed security
council Resolution 678 which gave Iraq until
15 Jan 1991 to withdraw from Kuwait and
empowered states to use all necessary

Creating a Coalition
Bush Administration builds a coalition of 34
nations to confront Iraq:
34 countries provide naval forces; 22 ground
troops; 12 provide air units

Other counties also help pay the bills:

U.S. costs about $60-70 billion foreign
contributions covered $50 billion (not counting
services in kind).

Coalition Countries
Argentina
Australia
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
Egypt
France
Greece
Italy
Kuwait
Morocco
Netherland
New Zealand
Niger

Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Portugal
Qatar
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Spain
Syria
UAE
UK
USA

Iran Iraq

Cont..

Japan and Germany did not contribute any

forces but made financial contribution
totaling $10 Billion and $6.6 Billion
respectively.

Reason and campaign for

intervention
Iraqi violation of Kuwaiti territorial integrity
Within 3 days, 120,000 Iraqi troops with
850 tanks had poured into Kuwait and
moved south to threaten Saudi Arabia. It
was then decided to act to check that
aggression.
Iraqs history of Human rights abuses
under President Saddam

Operation DESERT
SHIELD
Goal: Protect Saudi Arabia
Begins August 7, 1990.
Thousands of troops transported by air
Millions of tons of equipment and fuel
transported by sea.
The wholly defensive doctrine was quickly
abandoned when on 8 Aug Iraq declared
Kuwait to be 19th province of Iraq and
Hussein named his cousin, Ali Hassan as
its military-governor

The plan to attack Iraq

Month-long air campaign
Preliminary goal of destroying Iraqi air
defenses.
Other targets included military and
industrial facilities, first in Iraq, then Kuwait

If needed, ground offensive would follow

air operations.

Iraq Missile strikes

The Iraqi govt. made no secret that it

would attack Israel if invaded
Iraq responded by launching by launching
8 Al hussein missiles into Israel and these
missile attacks cont. througout the 6 weeks
of the war.

s
a
Re

?
.

n
o

Operation DESERT
STORM
January 15, 1991: Ordered by President
George H. W. Bush
January 17: air operations began
February 24: ground campaign launched
February 28: ceasefire and coalition
victory.

Assessment
Casualties:
US 613: 146 killed, 467 wounded.
Coalition 410: 92 killed, 318 wounded.
Iraqi 12,000 killed, about 86,000 surrendered.

Kuwaiti independence restored.

Iraqi strategic military capability devastated.

U
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Y
K
N
A
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T