Role of the US in the Iran-Iraq War

1
Role of the US in the Iran-Iraq War
2
Internationalization of the War

• 1986Tanker War
• Iran begins attacking tankers in the Gulf
• Affects shipping in the Persian Gulf

3
US Begins to Officially Support Iraq

• US Intelligence
• US weapons
• US escorts of Kuwaiti ships
• US led international embargo of arms against
  Iran

4
Switching Sides?

• Despite Iraqs historic ties w/ USSR, US supports
  Iraq against an isolated Iran
• Shiites have recently taken American hostages in
  Lebanon and the US would like them back
• US negotiates w/ Israel to sell American arms to
  Iran in exchange for hostages in Lebanon
  apparently had Reagans approval
• Partially works -

5
Playing Both Sides

• Read the article by William Blum, former CIA
  agent, turned US govt critic
• What OTHER role has the US been playing in
  private?

6
US Supports Chem Weapons Development

• Throughout the mid-80s US companies are earning
  lots o cash from sales of dangerous chemicals
• Chem weapons against international conventions as
  of 1949
• Chem agents used against Iraqis (kurds) by
  Hussein
• Chem agents end up causing Gulf War Syndrome in
  US vets (denied debated)

7
Examples of chemical weapons
8
The Kurdish Problem

• Kurds have long-time desire to have independent
  state
• Some acted on behalf of Iran in Ir-Ir War
• Hussein indiscriminately used chem weapons
• killed Kurdish Iraqi rebels civilians
• 50-100,000 killed

9
UN Resolution 598 WHY NOW?

• Cease-fire
• No real resolution to the problem
• Iraqi missile attacks on Tehran weaken Iran
• Iran has questions about future actions of the US