Theme 3: STATEHOOD AND PAN-ARABISM IRAQ

When was the coup that overthrew the monarchy in Iraq

1958

When was another coup in Iraq led by saddam hussein

1968 - established a stable regime which lasted 35 years

When did saddam hussein become a member of the baath party

1957

When did saddam hussein participate in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate the Iraqi president

1959

why was iraq likely to be a difficult country to run

small coastline

mountainous in the north

kurds wanted independence

religious divisions between shias and sunnis as other states were majority sunni whilst iraq was majority shia

why was there discontent in iraq

dominated by a small number of big landowners while the vast majority were landless peasants

much resentment of british control

why was british determined to maintain influence over iraq 1918-50s

suspected it contained oil

buffer against the soviet union influence

protection from nazi occupation

in what ways was british control challenged in 1950s

the 'golden square coup'

1958: iraqi army coup which overthrew to the pro-british monarchy and established a republic

what examples are there of success for british policy towards Iraq

britain gained favourable oil concession from faisal in 1925 - 75 years

baghdad pact signed in 1955 which protected iraq from soviet influence

what was the golden square coup

anti-british feeling resulted in pro-nazi revolt by 4 army officers

wanted to bring rashid ali to power

british sent troops from palestine, crushed the revolt and restored nuri al-said

when was the 1958 revolution

14 july 1958

who carried out the 1958 coup

baathist militants led by brigadier qasim

what were the causes of the 1958 revolutopn

shias felt underrepresented in politics, resented sunni influence and opposed pan-arabism

sunni kurdish desire for cultural autonomy, opposed pan-arabism

urban vs rural - 80% of country rural, 90% of peasants were sharecropping tenants - feudal relationship with landlord

percentage of landowners controlling what percentage of land

less than 1% of all landowners controlled 55% of all privately owned land

effect of the 1958 revolution of baathist support

became more popular, they were welcomed into baghdad city

3 mesopotamian separate and distinct provinces

mosul - linked economically to anatolia and syria

baghdad - agriculture and traded mostly with iran and south west

basra - oriented towards the persian gulf and trade with india

percentage of population that was arab

80%

religious divisions in iraq

shia - just over half, close ties with iran

sunni - numerical minority but british supported their rise to political dominance

kurds - own language and culture, did not want to be dominated in baghdad

percentage of iraq population that were kurds

20%

problem with the coastline

only 58km which was unsuitable for deep water ports in the persian gulf

when was the iraqi revolution

1920

cause of the 1920 iraqi rebellion

diversity of the country - crushed by the british

outcome of the 1920 iraqi rebellion

british appointed faisal as the king due to his reputation from the arab revolt

army of 26,000 by late 1930s

developed a secular state school system

series of treaties with britain promising future independence in return for influence over army and 2 airbases in iraq

when was iraq declared independent and admitted into the un

1932

when did faisal diea nd his son ghazi took over as king

1933

what happened to the government after faisals death

became dominated by a small group of sunni former ottoman military officers

they became wealthy landowners

did nothing to bring reform

lots of instability and infighting - pro-british nuri al-said gained prominence

by 1939, iraq was gripped by anti-british sentiment as war started

what did the officers from the 1958 coup claim

they were just carrying out unfinished business from 1941

when was iraq firmly under the control of the hashemite dynasty

1945-58

issues with the regime of al-said

needed the support of the landowners

too risky to address social reforms or may lose support

no extensive political participation

alienated new generation inspired by nasser

used police repression and censorship to keep control

situation after the 1958 coup

announced programmes of sweeping reforms but the political situation was very uncertain over 10 years of military rule - little opportunity to implement reforms

no elections allowed

new parties emerged - baathists and communists

how did the new republic after 1958 confront the large landowners

issued law with the aim of reducing power of landed elite and improving living conditions of peasants

individual landowners allowed to keep 620 acres of irrigated land - any left over seized and redistributed to tenants in lots of 22-75 acres depending on quality of land

how did the new republic after 1958 fail to effectively confront the large landowners

due to a lack of personnel and effective surveys, only 1/3 of land was transformed by 1963

no new class of landowning peasants was formed

foreign policy of the new republic after 1958

withdrew from baghdad pact and signed agreement with USSR to gain soviet military and economic assistance

qasim - cautious approach to pan-arabism and nasser due to conflicting pressures at home for and against joining the UAR - chose to remain independent

al-salam arif - more negotiations towards possible union with egypt in 1966 but little progress

continued conflict with kurds (1961-63 particularly) failure to achieve victory in this was key reason for overthrow of qasim

when was there a full-scale rebellion of the kurds

1961-63

when did the british capture baghdad

1917

when did the british advance to mosul

1918

when was the golden square/ rashid ali coup

1941

when did the baathists seize power

1968

when did the iran-iaq war start

1980

when did saddam hussein use chemical weapons to bomb kurdish city of halabjah

1988 - 5,000 killed, 12,000 died later due to chemicals

when did iraqi gov persuade british-controlled iraqi petroleum company t agree to a 50/50 split of oil prfots

1952

what did the 1958 regime try to achieve domestically in iraq

persuade britain to withdraw its troops

remove iraq from the baghdad pact

secure more control over oil production

how successful was the 1958 regime in their aims

persuaded britain to withdraw troops

removed iraq from baghdad pact

secured more control over oil production

what were the regional/ foreign policy aims of the 1958 regime

considerable support for the united arab republic

outcome of the 1973 yom kippur war

the west support of israel in the war led to the iraqi oil embargo which meant oil prices increase

this is extra significant as hussein nationalised the infrastructure in 1969 so iraq got all profits

when did the baath party announce nationalisation of the IPC

1972

when was a campaign against illiteracy launched

1978 - minimum of 2 years

how many farmers received land grants 1970-82

264,400

when was there a new agrarian reform law

1970

placed further limitations on the size of land-holdings

authorised confiscation of additional acreage from large landowners

domestic policy of 1958 regime in terms of industrial development

public sector took the lead with investments in industries such as iron, steel and petrochemicals

domestic policy of 1958 regime in terms of literacy

aimed to propagate baath doctrines and monitor political behvaiour

courses in baathist ideology were mandatory for uni students

domestic policy of 1958 regime in terms of countryside

redistributed most land to small owners of landless but did not contribute to agricultural production

domestic policy of 1958 regime in terms of social welfare

gov was able to reduce taxes, subsidise basic foodstuffs, establish free healthcare and abolish uni tuition fees

domestic policy of 1958 regime in terms of women

education and employment opportunities

no more forced marriages

when was there an amendment that outlawed the practice of forced marriages and expanded divorce groups for women

1978

by 1982, what percentage of uni students were women

30%

which superpower did iraq and the baathists have close links to

soviet union - depended on for arms purchases and technical expertise

alliance came from the fact that when the baath regime came to power, iraq was isolated from the west

when was the 25 years iraqi-soviet friendship treaty signed

1972

how and why did iraqi ties with the west increase in the 70s and 80s

due to oil industry, iraq sought efficient technical and marketing assistance in order to develop industry

by late 70s, west were also competing to get a foothold in iraqs lucrative arms market

iraq remained pro-soviet and anti-west and continued to rely on soviets for bulk of arms

however baath party was pragmatic in policy and imported as much western tech and advice as possible

when was the iran-iraq war

1980-1988

how many died in the iran-iraq war

500,000 iraqis and nearly 1 million iranians

what did hussein want to do after 1979 in terms of iran

he believed it was weak after the revolution so wanted to spread his power

wanted to secure the shatt-al arab waterway to export oil

what were the causes of the iran-iraq war

new regime in iran

the kurds

desire for control of ports

irans apparent weakness

how did the new regime in iran cause the iran-iraq war

new regime called for spread of islamic revolution and spread of sharia law which was against sunni belief - iraq was majority sunni

khomeini encouraged turning against the baath party and hussein

how did the kurds in iran cause the iran-iraq war

Resumed armed insurrection against saddam hussein

New Iranian gov refused to close its borders to Kurds seeking refuge from the Iraqi army thus violating the 1975 Algiers agreement

how did the desire for control of ports cause the iran-iraq war

1984: war of attrition spread to shipping landed of Persian gulf when Iraq, in attempts to reduces irans oil-exporting ability, started to attack tankers bound for Iranian ports

Why did the west support Iraq

Stop spread of Islamic revolution

Oil

What led to a decline in standard of life in Iraq

Funding war and not much income due to oil

What ratio was Iran and Iran in the war

3:1 but Iraq had high powered weaponry

How and why did most Arab states support Iraq

Primarily Sunni which was same as most other Arab states

Kuwait and Saudi were major lenders to Iraq when oil exporting ability was limited during war

How much of assistance did Kuwait and Saudi give Iraq during war

$50-$60 million

How did Soviet Union aid Iraq in war

Major arms supplier

How did France aid Iraq in war

Provided mirage jets, super étendard war planes with Exocet missiles

How did USA provide aid to Iraq in war

Military intelligence

Pressured allies to not sell weapons to Iran

Campaigned for embargo against Iranian oil in 1988

When were diplomatic relations with Baghdad restored with USA after severance in 1967

1984

long term causes of the invasion of kuwait

impact of the iran iraq war (economic and political in iraq)

impact of change in relationship between iraq and the west

political impact of the iran iraq war for iraq

saddam hussein was not popular in iraq so he wanted to find a way to distract the people from domestic issues thus the invasion of kuwait

when did iraq invade kuwait

August 2, 1990

short term causes of the invasion of kuwait

increasing concerns about the actions of hussein

deteriorating relationship between iraq and kuwait

economic crisis in iraq

why did saddam hussein look greedily at kuwait

It had very good deepwater ports.

It had huge oil reserves. His main oil terminal at Umm Qasr had been destroyed in the Iran-Iraq war.

2 reasons for the deteriorating relationship between Iraq and Kuwait.

Deteriorating relationship between Iraq and Kuwait

Deteriorating relationship between Iraq and Kuwait.

hussein accused kuwait of overproduction of oil to drive down the price which would hit iraqi income from oil exports

US reaction to invasion of kuwait

intervened via UN as they were concerned about losing oil exports

arab reaction to invasion of kuwait

worried saddam would invade them next

what was operation desert shield

the US operational name for the US build-up of forces and Saudi Arabia's defence from 2 August 1990, to 16 January 1991.

what was operation desert storm

Operation Desert Storm was the US name of the air-land conflict from 17 January 1991, through 11 April 1991.

results of the gulf war

casualties

physical damage

environmental damage

impact of iran-iraq war on economy and unemployment

shattered economy - value of oil declined due to war damage and decline in world market

many people in oil industry lost their jobs and thousands of soldiers were demobilised

opposition caused by the iran-iraq war

some riots and strikes in mosques - army would not dare attack as it would intensify the opposition of all muslims

military was main threat - many officers felt cheated of victory over iran and some privately blamed saddam

attempts to overthrow saddam 1988-90 by army]

diverting attention away from domestic problems may have been a motive for the invasion of kuwait

when had kuwait been claimed by iraq

after the british left in 1962

the arab league sent troops to protect kuwaits independence

when did iraq recognise kuwait

1963 but tensions remained

why did tensions remain between iraq and kuwait after 1963

1990: oil prices on world market dropped steeply - saddam blamed kuwait for deliberately causing this due to overproduction

kuwait was pressing iraq to repay $14B it had lent during the war with iran

what did iraq demand from kuwait before invasion

kuwaits border with iraq should be adjusted

kuwait should make a further large loan to iraq

what were the iraqi accusations of kuwait before invasion

accused kuwait of drilling below the border in order to extract huge oil deposits which iraq claimed as its own

how many invaded kuwait

300,000

reaction of the united nations council to the invasion of kuwait

agreed on complete trade sanctions against iraq - no country to trade with iraq until withdrawal - very effective

saddams defiance upon the invasion of kuwait

announced that kuwait had been annexed and become a province of iraq

attemot to win support of arab states by saying that he would withdraw onky when the israelis withdrew from westbank and gaza - most states united in condemning iraq

hundreds of foreigners held hostage and used as human shields - outrage

american fears and actions during the invasion of kuwait

many feared that iraq might seize the saudi oilfields and thus gain control of more than half of the world oil fields

very quick to oblige to saudi requests - over a period of a few months, there was a build up of naval, land and air forces

UN resolution for iraq on kuwait

withdraw from kuwait by 15 january 1991 or face military force

how many troops were in the coalition army against iraqi invasion of kuwait

600,000

what was the make-up of the coalition army against iraqi invasion of kuwait

most american but britain and france sent large forces as well

many arab countries like egypt and syria and other muslim countries like pakistan and bangladesh