The Iran-Iraq War: New International Perspectives

Description

This volume offers a wide-ranging examination of the Iran–Iraq War (1980–88), featuring fresh regional and international perspectives derived from recently available new archival material. Three decades ago Iran and Iraq became embroiled in a devastating eight-year war which served to re-define the international relations of the Gulf region. The Iran–Iraq War stands as an anomaly in the Cold War era; it was the only significant conflict in which the interests of the United States and Soviet Union unwittingly aligned, with both superpowers ultimately supporting the Iraqi regime. The Iran–Iraq War re-assesses not only the superpower role in the conflict but also the war’s regional and wider international dimensions by bringing to the fore fresh evidence and new perspectives from a variety of sources. It focuses on a number of themes including the economic dimensions of the war and the roles played by a variety of powers, including the Gulf States, Turkey, France, the Soviet Union and the United States. The contributions to the volume serve to underline that the Iran–Iraq war was a defining conflict, shaping the perspectives of the key protagonists for a generation to come. This book will be of much interest to students of international and Cold War history, Middle Eastern politics, foreign policy, and International Relations in general. Cover The Iran–Iraq War Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of illustrations List of contributors Acknowledgements 1 Introduction PART I Waging the war 2 Lessons learned: civil–military relations during the Iran–Iraq War and their influence on the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Iraq War 3 Saddam and the Iran–Iraq War: rule from the top 4 Mustazafin and taghutti: Iran and the war, 1980–1988 PART II Economic dimensions of the war 5 The role of oil in the outcome of the Iran–Iraq War: some important lessons in historical context 6 The finances of war: Iraq, credit and conflict, September 1980 to August 1990 PART III Regional perspectives on the war 7 The Gulf States and the Iran–Iraq War: cooperation and confusion 8 The ostensible 'silent victor'? The long-term impact of the Iran–Iraq War on Turkey PART IV American policy and the war 9 Reappraising the Carter Administration's response to the Iran–Iraq War 10 Changing American perspectives on the Iran–Iraq War 11 Critical Oral History: a new approach to examining the United States' role in the war PART V International perspectives on the war 12 France's involvement in the Iran–Iraq War 13 The Soviet Union and the Iran–Iraq War Index