The collapse of Iraq's peak moment: Why did Saddam Hussein start the Iran-Iraq war?
Saddam Hussein was a controversial and legendary figure in the history of the Middle East. He ascended to the throne of Iraq's supreme leader in a coup d'état in 1979, and soon after coming to power, he launched a more than seven-year Iran-Iraq war against neighboring Iran. This war became the beginning of foreign wars under Saddam Hussein, and there were many doubtful elements hidden in it.
Iraq at that time was in stark contrast to modern Iraq. Located in the valley of the two rivers, Iraq has more water and fertile land than other countries in the Middle East, providing a unique advantage for agricultural prosperity. This led to Iraq's rapid rise in agriculture as an agricultural powerhouse in the Middle East.
In addition to agriculture, Iraq has also made major breakthroughs in oil and gas exploration and extraction. In the early 70s of the last century, the Iraqi Baath Party implemented the idea of putting development first, aiming to change the backward situation of the social economy. This development concept has propelled Iraq to make great progress in agriculture and the oil industry, nationalize its oil, and generate considerable revenues with the help of international revenues.
Iraq has also made large-scale investments in infrastructure, involving mining, transportation, electricity, metal smelting and other fields, and gradually established an independent national industrial system. During this decade, Iraq's GDP grew at an average annual rate of 12 percent, and in 1980 its GDP reached $35.8 billion, creating a miracle for the Middle East.
Iraq has achieved remarkable results not only economically, but also in the diplomatic field. In 1975, Iraq signed the Algiers Agreement with neighbouring Iran. Despite Iraq's booming economy, there are still factors of instability in the country, especially the insurgency in the Kurdistan region.
The insurgency in the Kurdistan region, which is supported by Iran**, has led to Iraq's dilemma in responding to Iranian provocations. Through diplomatic efforts, Iraq and Iran eventually reached a compromise and signed the Algiers Agreement in 1975, which gradually stabilized the situation in Iraq. Although Iraq lost some of its interests in the agreement, it bought valuable time for subsequent industrialization.
During this decade, Iraq has accomplished three major events: stabilizing the domestic situation, transforming itself into an agrarian country into a nascent modern industrial country, and achieving primitive capital accumulation.
However, Iraq did not anticipate in its heyday that neighboring Iran would become one of its biggest competitors. Iran's rapid economic growth in the early 70s led to hyperinflation and fiscal deficits due to poor economic policymaking. This exacerbated the contradictions in Iranian society, and the people's dissatisfaction with the existing order contributed to the outbreak of the revolution.
In 1978, the Shah of Iran, in order to deal with the revolutionary Khomeini, urgently contacted Iraq, hoping to expel Khomeini. Iraq** complied with the request, but did not expect the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty in Iran in 1979 and the success of Khomeini. After Khomeini came to power, Iran-Iraq relations fell to a freezing point.
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini** has carried out a massive military purge to consolidate power, including the execution of 85 generals and a large number of other officers, leaving Iran's army vulnerable. The purge has spread across all branches of the military, and with the massive attrition of the military's top brass, the Iranian army's chain of command has been paralyzed and its combat capability has plummeted.
The unrest quickly spread throughout Iranian society, causing panic among the population and entrepreneurs. Massive capital flight has led to chaos in Iran's financial system, with banks on the brink of collapse. Iran's economic, military, and financial power has declined dramatically in a short period of time.
At this moment, Iraq saw an opportunity. Iran's weakened military and economic turmoil have provided Iraq with a window to start a war between Iran and Iraq. Oil is the backbone of Iran and Iraq, and Iran's oil production has fallen sharply as a result of the revolution, leaving Iran's economy in trouble.
Iran's regime cleansing campaign has led to a massive loss of troops, which has rendered the Iranian army incapable of its former combat effectiveness. The chaos in Iranian society and the flight of capital have further weakened Iran's overall strength. Faced with such a situation, Saddam may have seen the Iran-Iraq war as a unique historical opportunity to acquire more territory and resources while Iran is in trouble.
However, the war ended up being a bloody conflict in which both countries paid a heavy price, with far-reaching consequences for the entire Middle East region. Whether Saddam's decision-making was forced by the situation or driven by ambition may be one of the puzzles left to us by history.
The Middle East: Saddam's Decisions and the Truth Behind the Iran-Iraq War" presents in detail the internal and external factors of the rise of Iraq and the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war in the era of Saddam Hussein. During this period of history, Iraq's booming economy was intertwined with the turmoil of the Iranian regime, providing Saddam Hussein with a seemingly ideal window to start the Iran-Iraq war. The historical descriptions in this article are both vivid and detailed, and thought-provoking.
First, the article begins with Iraq's heyday, clearly depicting Iraq's rapid development in agriculture, the oil industry, and infrastructure. Through an in-depth look at Iraq's economic policies and diplomatic efforts, the article highlights Iraq's great power during this period as one of the great powers of the Arab world.
Subsequently, the article turns its focus to Iran, specifically the period of regime purge. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's large-scale purge of the army and social unrest have plunged Iran into chaos and presented an opportunity for Iraq. Iran's internal and external difficulties at this moment have become favorable factors for Iraq to launch the Iran-Iraq war.
However, the article ignores why Saddam decided to start the Iran-Iraq war. Here, perhaps, it is possible to go deeper into Saddam's personal motives and an accurate analysis of the internal situation in Iran. Whether it is due to geopolitical ambitions, or whether it has taken a fancy to Iran's weaknesses, is worth digging into.
Finally, the analysis of the impact and historical background of the Iran-Iraq war shows a deep understanding of the situation in the Middle East. Both countries have paid a heavy price, and the entire Middle East has been affected by it. It calls on readers to reflect on the nature of war and its long-term impact on a region and the world.
Overall, the article presents the reader with vivid descriptions, detailed historical backgrounds, and insightful analyses of important moments in the Middle East. However, when it comes to why Saddam Hussein started the Iran-Iraq war, it may be possible to dig deeper into personal motives and accurate judgments about the situation in Iran in order to understand the political landscape more fully.
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