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Iraq Basics

Explore Iraq’s foundations, including ethnic groups, religion, and history from the Ottoman Empire to the Baath Revolution and Saddam Hussein's rise. Learn about the Persian Gulf War and Iraq War events shaping the country's trajectory.

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Iraq Basics

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  1. Iraq Basics • Where? • Tigris/Euphrates • Fertile Crescent

  2. Iraq Basics • Who? Ethnic Groups A. Arab • 2/3 of Iraq B. Kurd • 1/4 of Iraq • Est. 26 million (Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey) Kurds

  3. Iraq Basics • Who? Religion • Shiah • 3/5 of the population • Sunni • 2/5th of population • 90% of world’s Muslims • Main differences: Who should lead the Muslim community? Kurds

  4. Iraqi History • Ottoman Empire • 1535-1918 • British Mandate • Monarchy (1921) • “well rooted country” • Baath Revolution (1958) • Who are the Baaths? • Political Party • Secular (non-religious) government • Largely Sunni HUSSEIN CARD AS PART OF DECK OF 55 CARDS OF US CHARACTERS WANTED Reuters/CORBIS

  5. The Rise of Saddam Hussein • Saddam Hussein (July 1979) • Hussein begins to eliminate opponents • Personality cult: portraits and statues • The Republican Guard: elite presidential security force

  6. Cult of Personality 1989 Victory Arch

  7. Persian Gulf War (the 1st one!) • August 2, 1990 • Why? • Iraqi’s claimed the land • Claimed Kuwait was stealing oil (“slant drilling”) • Kuwait owed money • Hussein thought no one would stop him • UN Security Council Resolution 678: • authorized military force to be used against Iraq.

  8. SCUD Missiles • Israel & Saudi Arabia: The fear of bio-chemical attacks.

  9. The War • Allied Bombardment • January 1991 • Liberation of Kuwait • February 26, 1991 • Cease-Fire • February 28, 1991

  10. Persian Gulf War (the 1st one!) • US invades w/full UN backing • US bombs Iraqi military & civilian infrastructure • We make no attempt to hold Iraqi towns or capture Saddam Hussein

  11. Environmental Disaster

  12. Persian Gulf War (the 1st one!) • Results? • Peace Terms: • Iraq accepts border with Kuwait, surrenders all WMDs, destroys all WMD production capability • Iraq can sell oil in exchange for food & medicine • No Fly Zone • Shiah Uprising

  13. Iraq War (2003-Present) • March 20, 2003: US and Allies invade Iraq • Reasons: • Believed Iraq could still build WMD’s (UN Weapons Inspectors)

  14. Iraq War (2003-Present) • “Shock and Awe” (Air Campaign) • Iraqi Provisional government

  15. Iraq War (2003-Present) • Saddam Executed • December 30, 2006 • Iraqi Insurgency • Baathists, Al-Qaeda, Shiah Militia • Iraqi Elections • October 15, 2005 • March 7, 2009 • Iraq Surge 2007

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