Iraq

Sometimes the enemy of our enemy is still our enemy

Iran-Iraq War

Secular Arab, Sunni nations were alarmed by the Iranian revolution

Saddam Hussein’s Iraq attacks Iran in 1980 US sells weapons to Iran (Iran-Contra

Scandal) and intelligence, economic aid, and sells weapons to Iraq

Iraq uses chemical weapons Casualties are estimated to reach more than a

million in civilian and military deaths

Iraq-Kuwait relations

Kuwait’s presence (established by the British) blocked Iraqi access to the Persian Gulf

By end of Iran-Iraq War Iraq is almost broke owing millions to Kuwait

Oil prices plummet US: “no opinion on Arab-Arab

conflicts”

Invasion of Kuwait

August 1991- Iraq invades and captures Kuwait

Concern Iraq will continue offensive into Saudi Arabia

UN sec. Council resolution to Iraq- withdraw

Iraq takes hostages to be human shields

War US gathers a coalition of 34

countries (though 73% of troops still US)

Strategic bombing campaign - 48 days, 88,000 tons of bombs

Ground war – lasts roughly 100 hours

Iraq: 20,000 to 200,000 killed Coalition: 190 killed

End of the War

U.S. and coalition forces stop the fight against Iraq in southern Iraq and do not go after Saddam in Baghdad.

Hussein uses armed helicopters to kill the Shi’ite and Kurdish rebels

No fly zones

U.S. and British continued to enforce the no-fly zones

US military presence in Saudi Arabia continues until 2003

(ie close to Mecca)

9/11 attacks

19 al-Qaeda hijackers take control of four airliners

Two planes strike the World Trade Center Towers (roughly 2,750 killed)

One plane strikes the Pentagon (184 killed)

One plane (likely aimed at White House) crashes in a field (40 killed)

Who did it?

15 from Saudi Arabia, two from United Arab Emirates, one from Egypt (Mohamed Atta), one from Lebanon

All members of al-Qaeda (which was based in Afghanistan)

Why did they do it?

History Religion Politics