Events In The Gulf 1979-200 Flashcards
1
Q
baath party
A
- called for unity among arabs in the middle east or arab nationalism
- they demanded a strong stand against foreign interference in Iraq
2
Q
sunni and shiite muslims
A
- disagreed on who should succeed mohammed as the leader of the muslim world
- led to division between muslims with the creation of shia and sunni
- most arabs are sunni, non arabs were shia
3
Q
why is the revolution of 1920 so important in iraqi culture?
A
- first time when iraqis stood up to foreign armies
- first attempt to become independent
4
Q
why was there discontent in iraq?
A
- the country was dominated by a small number of big land owners while majority were poor
- britain supported israel against the opposition of arab states
- oil profits shared with britain
5
Q
how was sadam able to gain poularity
A
- took complete control of iraqi oil industry
- created the most modern healthcare system in the middle east
- electricity extended to the countryside; agriculture became increasingly mechanised
- hospitals, roads and bridges were built
- improved economy
- iraqis became more educated
6
Q
development of iraq’s infrastructure
A
- free uni
- oil revenue spent on health services and education
- daily life improved due to better transport links and water supplies
- standard of living improved
- communication improved which improved the economy
- become more wealthy as they stopped selling oil to the west
7
Q
use of terror
A
- secret police scared people from talking against him so lack of opposition
- mass execution and killing of his own party members creates loyalty within the party
- chemical warfare- encouraged terror therefore there can be no revolution
- punishment for opposing- families executed
- no revolution
- can’t oppose the flee
- 150,000 kurds killed , sadam will turn on large groups
8
Q
why should there be conflict in the gulf : iraq 1900-1968
A
- originally 3 provinces of turkey
- 1919- treaty of sevres gave iraq to the league of nations and asked Britain to run it
- 1920 iraqi nationalists fight for independence but resistance is crushed by british troops
- 1921- britain needed help running Iraq so turned to faisal to become king but britain kept control of air bases, foreign policy and oil
- 1921- 1958 iraqi education improved and oil was shared between britain and iraq but there was still massive inequality
- 1958 monarchy is ovethrown and a new government run by a small group of leaders did not tolerate opposition
- 1968- officers stage a coup which led to iraq being run by the baath party(sunni)
- most iraqis were shiite
9
Q
rise of saddam hussein
A
- Involved in the overthrow of the monarchy in 1958 and played a key role in the coup in 1968
- He controlled key positions within the Baath party and the most important departments in the government and army
- Placed family and friends in positions of power in the government and army and he spent a lot on defence
- He nationalised the government gaining control of the Iraq oil industry
- Used Iraq’s new found oil wealth to build up education, health and welfare services that were some of the best in the Arab world
- Reduced sales of oil to western countries as a punishment for the west for supporting Israel in against Egypt and Syria but this drove up oil prices
- Saddam extended electricity to the countryside; roads, bridges, schools and hospitals were all built
- The main aim of the education was to immunise the young against foreign culture and promote Arab unity
- `1976 Saddam was made general of the army and was effective leader of Iraq
- Kept high military spending and executed those who were disloyal
- Used the secret police to repress and most of the recruits were Sunni like Saddam
- 1979 he became president of Iraq
10
Q
Saddam Hussein’s control over Iraq 1979 – 2000
A
- Used revenue from oil to improve health and education services
- Daily life improved due to better transport links and water supplies
- Fines if you were not literate
- Standard of living increased as electricity and other services were provided to rural areas
- University and health care was free
- He showed televised trials of his opponents
- Baath party members faced death if they joined another party
- He killed 150 villagers after an assassination attempt yet they were all innocent
- Saddam was glorified by the media who portrayed him as the leader and protector of the Arab world
- There were statues of him everywhere and when there was a referendum on his presidency 99% voted in support
- March 1988 saddam’s planes bombarded the Kurds with chemical weapons; they also carried out mass executions as well as bulldozing villages. Around 180,000 Kurds were killed
- Many Shiites were deported to Iran as their loyalty was not proven
- Freedom of religious worship
11
Q
Causes and consequences of the iran-iraq war and the reasons for western involvement
A
- Ayatollah Khomeini called on Iraqis to rise up and overthrow saddam’s regime. Majority of Iraq were Shiite whereas saddam was Sunni
- Saddam believed Iran were going to assassinate him
- Saddam saw it as an opportunity to gain territory: Iraq wanted to gain the whole of the shatt al Arab waterway to gain a secure outlet to the sea through which they can export oil
- Wanted to gain parts of oil rich Iran
- Iran’s economy was in chaos following the fall of the shah’s regime
- The country was facing a western boycott of its trade because of the capture of the us embassy
- Iranian armed forces were demoralised
- The west were involved to maintain their oil interests in the gulf as if Khomeini gained control of the oil in the gulf he could control world oil prices and to also maintain their influence in the middle east
12
Q
Consequences
•
A
1 million Iranians died and around half a million Iraqis died as well
• Iranians still revered Khomeini for his proud , defiant, stand after years of humiliation by stringer powers
• Iran still remained a major power with a population of 55 million but did succeed in exporting the Shiite brand of Islam
• For Iraq its economy was in ruins: during the war more and more was spent on weapons meaning less and less was spent on hospitals and schools.
• Iraq faced debts of $80 billion but saddam still poured money into developing weapons and the army
• Value of Iraq’s oil exports decreased and increased unemployment
• Several attempts to overthrow saddam between 1988-1990
13
Q
Causes of the first gulf war
A
- Kuwait had been run by Britain until 1961 when they left and other Arab states sent in troops to stop Iraq taking country
- His population were far from happy after the Iran-Iraq war
- $80 billion debt to pay off
- Saddam needed to produce more oil but that would mean that prices would drop so many states rejected saddam’s request especially Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
- Kuwait still demanded payments after the iran-iraq war but saddam said that Iraqi lives had defended Kuwait
- He accused Kuwait of illegally extracting oil on the Iraq-Kuwait border
14
Q
Course of the gulf war
A
- Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1990 and took over Kuwait in just 3 days but the un imposed trade sanctions against Iraq
- He said he would withdraw forces from Kuwait if Israeli forces withdrew theirs from Palestinian lands
- As Iraqi forces lined up on the Saudi border the Americans were quick to react and build up large naval, air and land forces
- Deadline set for 15 January 1991 and if saddam did not leave by then he would face military force
- 34 countries joined the coalition against Iraq including many Muslim countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh
- Five week air assault on military targets and airports, bridges, factories and roads
- Coalition forces controlled the skies
- He tried to involve Israel by firing missiles in the hope that this would cause a split between the west and their Arab allies but the us persuade them not to
- February 1991 coalition forces defeated Iraqi forces with ease as they were better trained and more motivated than the reluctant conscripts of Iraq
- As they retreated Iraqi forces tried to wreck Kuwait by pouring oil into the gulf and setting fire to the oil fields
- The Kurds and Shiites were told to rise up against saddam by the us but they suffered severe casualties as the lacked arms
- American and Britain established no fly zones which prevented saddam regaining control of the north and a safe haven was created for the Kurds
- Coalition forces stopped short of Baghdad as the un mission had restricted them from overthrowing saddam and the Arabs would not have supported them
15
Q
Consequences of the first gulf war
A
- Ceasefire: Iraq had to recognise Kuwait’s sovereignty ; Iraq had to pay reparations; Iraqi aircraft could not enter the no fly zones in the north and south; Iraq had to allow weapons inspections from the UN to uncover and destroy all weapons of mass destruction; until all wmd were destroyed the UN imposed wide ranging trade sanctions( cut off Iraq from the rest of the world)
- Blockade prevented any imports of medicines and even books
- Limited export of oil for Iraq
- Iraq imported a lot of its food meaning that a quarter of those under five were severely malnourished and by 1997 7,000 children were dying each month of hunger and disease
- Iraq was not allowed to import chlorine to purify their water which meant there was a large outbreak of dysentery
- 1996- UN allowed Iraq to sell oil for food
- Roads, bridges and electricity systems in Baghdad were largely rebuilt
- Saddam Used violence and terror to control resources
- Saddam showed mass suffering on TV so that the image of an uncaring west would be propagated
