Iraq, Iran, & Afghanistan

What was the overthrow of Mohammad Mossadegh?

The overthrow of Mohammad Mossadegh occurred in 1953 when the CIA orchestrated a coup to remove the democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran, primarily due to his nationalization of the oil industry.

What was the Iranian Revolution?

The Iranian Revolution in 1979 was a series of events that led to the overthrow of the Pahlavi monarchy and the establishment of an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khomeini.

What was the Iranian Hostage Crisis?

The Iranian Hostage Crisis began in 1979 when 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, following the Iranian Revolution.

What was the Iran-Iraq War?

The Iran-Iraq War was a conflict that lasted from 1980 to 1988, initiated by Iraq's invasion of Iran, leading to significant casualties and economic damage for both nations.

What was the Persian Gulf War?

The Persian Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm, occurred in 1990-1991 when a coalition led by the United States expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait after Iraq's invasion.

What was the significance of 9/11?

The September 11 attacks in 2001 were coordinated terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda on the United States, leading to significant changes in U.S. foreign policy and military engagement in the Middle East.

What was the Iraq War?

The Iraq War, initiated in 2003, was a conflict that led to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, justified by the U.S. government on the grounds of eliminating weapons of mass destruction.

What was the Afghanistan War?

The Afghanistan War began in 2001 as a response to the 9/11 attacks, aiming to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power.

What was the Twelve Day War?

The Twelve Day War, was a direct armed conflict between Israel and Iran that occurred from June 13 to June 24, 2025.

What are the foreign policies of President Jimmy Carter toward Iran?

President Jimmy Carter's foreign policy toward Iran focused on human rights and diplomacy, but his administration faced challenges during the Iranian Revolution and the Hostage Crisis.

What are the foreign policies of President Ronald Reagan toward Iran?

President Ronald Reagan's foreign policy included a mix of confrontation and engagement, notably involving arms sales to Iran during the Iran-Contra Affair.

What are the foreign policies of President George H.W. Bush toward Iraq?

President George H.W. Bush's foreign policy included leading the coalition during the Persian Gulf War to liberate Kuwait and managing post-war relations with Iraq.

What are the foreign policies of President Bill Clinton toward Iraq?

President Bill Clinton's foreign policy involved maintaining sanctions against Iraq and conducting military strikes in response to Saddam Hussein's actions.

What are the foreign policies of President George W. Bush toward Iraq?

President George W. Bush's foreign policy was characterized by the invasion of Iraq in 2003, justified by the belief that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.

What are the foreign policies of President Barack Obama toward Iran?

President Barack Obama's foreign policy included negotiating the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) in 2015, aimed at limiting Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

What are the foreign policies of President Donald Trump toward Iran?

President Donald Trump's foreign policy included withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposing sanctions on Iran, escalating tensions between the two nations.

What are the foreign policies of President Joe Biden toward Iran?

President Joe Biden's foreign policy aims to re-engage with Iran diplomatically, particularly regarding the nuclear deal, while addressing regional security concerns.

Coup

the (usually violent) overthrow of a government

Nationalize

place a formerly privately owned company/resource under government control

Secular

non-religious

Shah

king/supreme ruler of Iran

Ayatollah

highest ranking Shia religious leader

Majlis

Iranian parliament

Cleric

an ordained religious leader

Poll rating

a measure of public approval

Ba'ath Party

a secular Iraqi Pan-Arab Nationalist party that espoused some socialist ideas and came to be led by Saddam Hussein

Iran-Iraq War

Iraq, under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, attacked Iran and the two countries would fight a nearly 8 year war that killed between 500,000 and 1 million people

Hezbollah

Lebanese Shia terrorist organization backed by Iran.

Iran-Contra affair

a scandal in which the Reagan administration was caught selling weapons to Iran and then using the profits to illegally support Contra death squads in Nicaragua

Sanctions

legal restrictions on trading with another country

Persian Gulf War

the 1991 aerial bombing and invasion of Iraq by the U.S. that ultimately led Saddam Hussein to withdraw Iraqi forces from Kuwait

No Fly-Zone

an aerial demilitarized zone over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. This is usually enforced by a country with a powerful military

Quagmire

a situation that is hard to get out of

Back Channel

a secret, unofficial, or irregular means of communication.

Purge

the systematic removal of a particular group from power

Abu Ghiraib prison scandal

photos of U.S. soldiers and CIA agents torturing Iraqis in Saddam Hussein's former prison were leaked to the press. American war crimes caused outrage all over the world

ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State

a Sunni fundamentalist terrorist group that arose out of the ashes of Al Qaeda in Iraq and managed to take over territory in Iraq and Syria from 2013 - 2017 before losing it all in 2019

Dissident

person who actively challenges an established political or religious system, doctrine, belief, policy, or institution

Rapprochement

a re-establishing of friendly relations between two nations that were at odds with each other

Iranian Nuclear Deal

President Obama negotiated an agreement with the Iranian government in which they agreed to develop nuclear energy for only peaceful purposes and allowed inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to regularly check to make sure they were not trying to enrich uranium and develop a nuclear weapon.

Arms embargo

a ban on selling weapons to a country/group

Unilaterally

when a nation does something by itself without consulting or working with its allies

Proxy forces

combatants in a conflict who are directly or indirectly supported by another state in an effort to influence the conflict's outcome and thereby to advance their own strategic interests or to undermine those of their opponents.

Dissident

person who actively challenges an established political or religious system, doctrine, belief, policy, or institution

Rapprochement

a re-establishing of friendly relations between two nations that were at odds with each other

Iranian Nuclear Deal

President Obama negotiated an agreement with the Iranian government in which they agreed to develop nuclear energy for only peaceful purposes and allowed inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to regularly check to make sure they were not trying to enrich uranium and develop a nuclear weapon.

Arms embargo

a ban on selling weapons to a country/group

Unilaterally

when a nation does something by itself without consulting or working with its allies

Watchdog

a person or organization responsible for making certain that companies/countries/groups obey particular standards and do not act illegally

Operation Midnight Hammer/Twelve Day War

from June 13, 2025 to June 24, 2025, the U.S. and Israel bombed Iran's nuclear facilities in a surprise attack, and assassinated Iranian military leaders, politicians and nuclear scientists.

Operation Epic Fury

the 2026 war between the U.S. and Israel and Iran in which the U.S. killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and bombed thousands of sites all over Iran. It began on February 28, 2026 and continues to the present.

Embassy

an official headquarters for U.S. diplomats and government representatives serving in a foreign country. Embassies are generally led by an ambassador, who is the U.S. President's representative to the host country.

Ambassador

the U.S. President's representative to a foreign country.

Strait of Hormuz

a narrow maritime passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which around a fifth of the world's oil production passes

Ceasefire

an agreement, usually between two armies, to stop fighting in order to allow discussions about peace

Pentagon

the building in Washington where the U.S. Defense Department is based. This term is also used to refer to the U.S. Defense Department itself

War Powers Resolution

an act passed in 1973 to prevent "future Vietnams" by requiring the executive branch to consult with and report to Congress before undertaking military action abroad. The law requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing American troops to military action and forbids soldiers from remaining for more than 60 days in a conflict zone without a congressional declaration of war.