Iraq: More than a Decade of Destruction
Iran-Iraq War:
The war between Iran and Iraq was one of the greatest human tragedies of recent Middle Eastern history. Perhaps as many as a million people died, many more were wounded, and millions were made refugees. The resources wasted on the war exceeded what the entire Third World spent on public health in a decade.
The war began on September 22, 1980, when Iraqi troops launched a full-scale invasion of Iran. Prior to this date there had been subversion by each country inside the other and also major border clashes. Iraq hoped for a lightning victory against an internationally isolated neighbor in the throes of revolutionary upheaval. But despite Iraq's initial successes, the Iranians rallied and, using their much larger population, were able by mid-1982 to push the invaders out. In June 1982, the Iranians went over to the offensive, but Iraq, with a significant advantage in heavy weaponry, was able to prevent a decisive Iranian breakthrough. The guns finally fell silent on August 20, 1988.
France became the major source of Iraq's high-tech weaponry, in no small part to protect its financial stake in that country.The Soviet Union was Iraq's largest weapon's supplier, while jockeying for influence in both capitals. Israel provided arms to Iran, hoping to bleed the combatants by prolonging the war. And at least ten nations sold arms to both of the warring sides.
The list of countries engaging in despicable behavior, however, would be incomplete without the United States. The U.S. objective was not profits from the arms trade, but the much more significant aim of controlling to the greatest extent possible the region's oil resources.
http://www.zmag.org/zmag/articles/ShalomIranIraq.htmlGulf War:
War fought between Iraq and allies of Kuwait, from January 16 to February 28, 1991, lasting 44 days altogether. The war had 3 main phases: 1) Iraq's occupation of Kuwait, 2) The diplomatic game and sanctions against Iraq, 3) The allied war against Iraq.
More than any previous war, this war was fought on two very different fronts: in addition to the war field itself, it was fought in the media.
The media war was initially staged by Iraq and Kuwait. While Kuwait hired the best media advisors to present its case, in order to secure the support of an international audience, both in terms of ordinary people and the politicians, Iraq relied on its own outmoded media personnel. Iraq's presentations of Saddam Hussein patting intimidated Iraqi infants will forever remain among the more comic moments in the history of international politics.
Kuwait's way of dealing with the truth has been much criticized since the war — some of the most disturbing reportage has been proven to have been fabricated. Yet, Kuwait did win this media war, which was an initial part of the process leading to the real war.
The real war, fought in the two first months of 1991, also used the media. Especially through the US-based satellite newscaster CNN, a world-wide audience was allowed live coverage of the war.
On the battlefields themselves, this war was one of the most uneven battles ever fought. While the allied forces could count their losses in a few hundreds, Iraq lost around 60,000 troops. The Iraqi military was one of the strongest in the Middle East, and would have done well in a war against most European countries. But against the USA and their allies, high-technology proved to have reached a level in which conventional military forces, like Iraq's, were totally overpowered.
The war lasted fairly long (considering the unevenness in power), as many as 42 days (the Middle East has seen a handful of much shorter wars), but there is a link between the seeming patience of the allied forces and their small losses: During the first 5 weeks, they bombed every possible military and infrastructural target in Iraq, paving the way for a swift ground campaign near the end of February.
The allies of Kuwait included personnel from 32 countries, but the preponderant numbers were from the USA, Britain, France, Egypt and Syria. Saudi Arabia was contributing with more funds than personnel, as it feared that Iraq could threaten its territory. On the allied side, 700,000 soldiers participated, of which 540,000 were U.S. troops.
http://lexicorient.com/e.o/gulfwar.htmHidden Wars of Desert Storm
THIS WAR KILLED MORE THAN THE 8 YEAR WAR WITH IRAN! (Depleted Uranium is killing the masses to this day)Exposing the US governments stance in Desert Storm, why they didnt remove Saddam after entering Iraq within 24 hours on false pretences, the sanctions imposed depriving citizens of well needed medical supplies while strengthing Saddams former regime, and the usage of Depleted Uranium in Iraq, all of which was never broadcasted through the media; much like most of the war crimes committed.THIS IS A MUST WATCH!Sanctions Against Iraq:
The UN Security Council imposed comprehensive economic sanctions against Iraq on August 6, 1990, just after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. When the coalition war had ousted Iraq from Kuwait the following year, the Council did not lift the sanctions, keeping them in place as leverage to press for Iraqi disarmament and other goals. The sanctions remained in place thereafter, despite a harsh impact on innocent Iraqi civilians and an evident lack of pressure on Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
A UN "Oil-for-Food Programme," started in late 1997, offered some relief to Iraqis, but the humanitarian crisis continued. The US and UK governments always made it clear that they would block any lifting or serious reforming of sanctions as long as Hussein remained in power. After more than thirteen years of sanctions had passed, the US and the UK made war on Iraq again in March, 2003, sweeping away Hussein's government. Soon after, Washington called for and obtained the lifting of sanctions, a step that gave the US occupation authority and full control over Iraq's oil sales and oil industry.
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/sanction/indexone.htmPa ying the Price: Killing the Children of IraqAfter Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the United Nations (backed strongly by the US and UK) imposed harsh sanctions on Iraq that lasted for 13 years; the harsh restrictions on imports of everything, including access to key medicines, resulted in over a million deaths, more than half a million of which were women and children. That's more deaths than the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan and 9/11 combined.The purpose was regime change, but it never came. The overwhelming majority of those killed were the poor, elderly, women and children.Iraq War 2003-present
The UNHCR estimates that more than 4.2 million Iraqis have left their homes;with 100,000 people fleeing the country each month. Some 2.2 million Iraqis are displaced internally.
A recent Study report estimates about 1.2 million+ Iraqis have died from violence since the US-led invasion in March 2003. With a nation of roughly 26 million people, the report states that an additional 2.5% of Iraq's population has died above, what would have not occured without conflict.
According to a new report from Oxfam and a coalition of Iraqi NGOs, nearly a third of the population of Iraq is in need of immediate emergency aid. It suggests that 70% of Iraq's 26.5m population are without adequate water supplies, compared to 50% prior to the invasion. Only 20% have access to effective sanitation. Nearly 30% of children are malnourished, a sharp increase on the situation four years ago. Some 15% of Iraqis regularly cannot afford to eat. The report also said 92% of Iraq's children suffered from learning problems.
Noam Chomsky: Why is Iraq Missing from the 2008 Presidential Race?A talk by Noam Chomsky on why the Iraq War is not a bigger issue in the 2008 presidential race.
