Iraq-Desert, Oil and Saddam Hussein. Iraq Arabic people – 75% of population 60% - Shi’ite Muslim...
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Transcript of Iraq-Desert, Oil and Saddam Hussein. Iraq Arabic people – 75% of population 60% - Shi’ite Muslim...
Iraq-Desert, Oil and Saddam Hussein
Iraq• Arabic people – 75% of
population• 60% - Shi’ite Muslim• Sunni Muslim Arabs – governed country for
most of last 100 years (even though they are minority)
• Kurds – also Sunni Muslims – 3rd largest group• Oil industry – most important. 2nd largest oil
reserves in the world• 3 major wars and many rebellions
Saddam Hussein
• Leader of Baath Party that ruled Iraq from 1979-2003
• Didn’t like the western world/America
• After he took power – got rid of many of his rivals• Dictator• Led Iraq into war with Iran
Iran/Iraq War
• Lasted 8 years• Very expensive• After the end of this war – Kurdish tribes
began an uprising.• Iraq used poisonous gas against Kurds• 1990 – Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait – set off
the Persian Gulf War
Persian Gulf War
• Iraq in debt to Kuwait and Jordan• Iraq-Iran war ends 1988• Saddam felt like Kuwait should forgive massive loans made to
Iraq• Kuwait didn’t!!! Demanded repayment• Kuwait 5th largest produce of oil in the world – though small it
was very rich.• SADDAM WAS FURIOUS!!
• Saddam Hussein – president 10 years and most of time had been in war with Iran
Saddam’s Accusations
Accused Kuwait of1. flooding market with too much oil – decreasing the price – thus costing Iraq millions2. ‘slant drilling’ – sticking long pipes under Iraqi border and stealing his oil
Demanded $27 million from Kuwait!!!They refused to pay – he decided to invade!!
Invasion• Iraq had 4th largest army in the world• Well equipped with military hardware by US
and Soviet Union from war with Iran• Kuwait conquered in a matter of days
Shocked!!• Other countries thought they
were next• Saudi Arabia – world’s largest oil
producer and very wealthy country
• US – afraid Iraq would cut off their source of oil, driving up the price
• Would have destroyed economies of these countries
United Nations Gets Involved• Security Council spoke out against the invasion• Told Iraq to withdraw• George H. Bush – sent first American troops
and warplanes to Persian Gulf• Became known as Operation Desert Shield
• Saddam Hussein defied the order of the UN• January 16, 1991 – US and others launched a
massive air strike on Iraqi military targets • Started Persian Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm)
OVER QUICKLY!
• Short war – 42 days but very deadly
• Thousands of lives lost and Kuwait was left in ruins
• Iraqis left but Saddam Hussein stayed in power there for another 12 years