Intro Iraq & the Persian Gulf War

World Geography

Victory Parade for Operation Desert StormMilitary personnel carry a huge American flag through New York City during a ticker tape victory parade for Operation Desert Storm. Image: © Joseph Sohm; ChromoSohm Inc./CORBIS June 1991

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Middle East Quick Quiz

How much do you know about the middle east? 5 quiz questions1) Who created most of the

borders and countries of the Middle East?a. France and Englandb. Jordan and Syriac. Saudi Arabiad. The United Nationse. The United States

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Middle East Quick Quiz

How much do you know about the middle east? 5 quiz questions2) What language is spoken in

Iran?3) When did it become illegal for women in Iran to go without wearing a veil? (with 5 years)

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Middle East Quick Quiz

How much do you know about the middle east? 5 quiz questions4) What is the most populous

Islamic country in the world?a. Egyptb. Indonesiac. Irand. Saudi Arabia

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Middle East Quick Quiz

How much do you know about the middle east? 5 quiz questions5) Which of following is Iraq?

A B

C D

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Middle East Quick Quiz

How much do you know about the middle east? 5 quiz questionsAnswers!!

1. A2. Farsi3. 19834. B (196 million people)5. C

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Iraq Basics

Where?

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Iraq Basics

Who? Ethnic GroupsA. Arab

B. Kurd

•2/3 of Iraq

•1/4 of Iraq•Own language & customs

Kurds

•Brutally suppressed in Iraq

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Iraq Basics

Who? ReligionA. Shiite

B. Sunni

•3/5 of the population

•2/5th of population

•90% of world’s Muslims

Kurds

C. Main differences: Who should lead the Muslim community?

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Iraqi History

A. British Mandate

B. British Backed Monarchy

•Post WWII British colony

•King chosen by England

C. Dictatorships

King Faisal I of IraqOriginal caption: Death of King Faisal. Faisal, King of Iraq, whose sudden death is just announced.Image: © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBISDate Photographed: ca. 1930

•1958 Baath Revolution

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Thinking Slide:

How might Iraqi history affect how they view the Americans & their British allies in the current war in Iraq?

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Baath Party

B. What does it do?

•Secular (non-religious) government

•Uses oil $ for government projects

•Hussein begins to eliminate opponents

HUSSEIN CARD AS PART OF DECK OF 55 CARDS OF US CHARACTERS WANTED Reuters/CORBIS

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That all changes with the Iran-Iraq War

Iranian RevolutionA. Why?

•Pro-western Shah unpopular because of his alliance w/US & secret police

B. How?

•Religious (Shiite) revolution

C. Results

•Fear in most neighboring Middle Eastern countries, especially majority Shiite Iraq

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Iran-Iraq WarA. Iraq’s Goals:

•Remove Iran’s leaders, gain oil-land, & make Hussein a hero to neighbors

B. How?

•Long brutal war, including use of chemical weapons on both sides

•UN creates a peace deal

C. Results

•Iraq left with big war debt

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Persian Gulf War (the 1st one!)

Why?

1.Iraq’s claimed to the land

2. Claimed Kuwait was stealing oil (“slant drilling”)

3. $ owed to countries Kuwait

4.Hussein thought no one would stop him

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Persian Gulf War (the 1st one!)

What happened??

US invades w/full UN backing

•US bombs Iraqi military & civilian infrastructure

•We make no attempt to hold Iraqi towns or capture Saddam Hussein

Destroyed Vehicles Along Kuwaiti HighwayDestroyed cars and trucks line Kuwait's "Highway of Death" during the Persian Gulf War. The name was given to the stretch of road leading north out of Kuwait City which, while clogged with retreating Iraqi forces, was furiously bombed by coalition forces, killing most on it.Image: © Peter Turnley/CORBIS

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Persian Gulf War PicturesKuwait Oil Well Fires from SpaceView from the space shuttle Atlantis of black smoke billowing from burning oil wells in Kuwait, which were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops at the end of the

Persian Gulf War.Image: Digital image © 1996 CORBIS; Original image courtesy of NASA/CORBIS

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Persian Gulf War Pictures

George Bush and Saddam Hussein on CNN Television BroadcastThe faces of the US President George Bush and the leader of Iraq Saddam Hussein on a CNN television broadcast during the Gulf War, 1990.

Image: © Zen Icknow/CORBISPhotographer: Zen IcknowDate Photographed:

January 1990

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Persian Gulf War (the 1st one!)

Results?UN Embargo & Oil for Food Program

Peace Terms:

•Iraq accepts border with Kuwait, surrenders all WMDs, destroys all WMD production capability

•Iraq can sell oil in exchange for food & medicine

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Thinking Slide:

Do you think a program like the “oil for food” program was a good one given the

situation at the time?

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Second Iraq War

Bush Doctrine: US can attack them before they attack us

Why?:Bush argues Iraq is a threat because of WMDs

How? First US pushes for tighter inspections, then invades claiming Hussein was not cooperating

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Thinking Slide:

Do you think that the Bush Doctrine will have be used as much by later presidents as others like the:

Monroe Doctrine: Told Europe to keep its hands off the Americas

Truman Doctrine: US pledges to support free peoples across the world against communism