Introduction
War has been plaguing the world since the start of our time. And among the various kinds of war, politics-related war was the most dominant one. Good examples of this kind of war were World War 1, World War II, and even the various wars which Iraq has been into.
One of the most unforgettable wars we can trace in our history was the battle between Iraq and Iran which lasted for 8 long years (from 1980-1988). Many thought that the cause of such war could have been easily solved but because the two leaders of both countries did not want to be dominated or did not even consider peaceful talks at first, a war took off. The impact of such a war was a tremendous loss for both countries. Hundreds of people (both civilians and soldiers) died fighting for both countries. Billions of dollars of properties were lost also because of the war.
Proposed Research Questions, Aims, and Objectives of the Study
Many thought that after the Iran-Iraq war, Saddam Hussein, the then leader of Iraq, would feel the loss and thus prevent his country from going into another war. But they were wronged. The Iran-Iraq war only resulted in more and further wars between Iraq and the other nation. This prompted a big question to most, what has Saddam Hussein been thinking then? Has he had so much support that Iraq could continue its war against other countries?
Specifically, this paper aims to answer the following questions:
- What were the primary sources of income of Iraq during the time of the Iran-Iraq war?
- What was the political scenario in Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s time? What kind of leader was he?
- What was the line of thinking of Hussein during his time? Why is he so adamant about conquering and/or invading other nations, such as Iran? What was his agenda?
- Who were Hussein’s or Iraq’s allies? What kind of support were these countries would be willing to give to Iraq amidst war and economical crises?
This paper is then aimed at analyzing the political, economical, and physical structure of Iraq and its leader, Saddam Hussein, and his possible sources of support to continue with the war against Iran. This paper’s primary objective is to:
- Identify the various factors leading to Saddam Hussein’s initiation of war against Iran
- Classify the sources of support that Iraq is getting while the country was fighting against Iran
- Categorize the said support and analyze whether or not these have become Hussein’s reasons for getting into more war, even to the war against the US.
Dissertation Positioning
Much research has been done in analyzing various types of political leadership being practiced in different countries. There is also enough studies conducted correlating specific type of leadership to the political and economical outcome of the country. In the same manner, there are also hundreds of articles, books, and journals available analyzing the kinds of wars those different countries have been involved with, particularly Saddam Hussein and the whole of Iraq. As there is a number of possible resources available, it is then important to assess the common denominator between these resources, hence this study.
The suggested theoretical framework to successfully analyze the political, economical, and physical structure of Iraq and its leader, Saddam Hussein, and his possible sources of support to continue with the war against Iran is:
Methodology
Structure
This study will conduct an in-depth literature review regarding Saddam Hussein’s leadership and the whole structure of Iraq during its war against Iran. At the same time, an in-depth literature review of Iran’s political and military structure will also be analyzed and will be compared against Iraq. Credible journals, news articles, peer-reviewed- journals, and/or web references tackling both Iran and Iraq at the onset of the war will be sourced out, summarized, and analyzed. This will be used as an integral part of coming up with the desired conclusion.
Ethics
This paper will target history books, peer-reviewed journals, articles, and web references that are published and/or presented on the covered before and after the Iran-Iraq war (which is 1980 and beyond). All information that will be gathered will be analyzed summarized and will be used as a significant aspect for conclusion and recommendation.
Research Time Schedule
This paper will consume a minimum of four weeks to finalize. The first 3 weeks will be attributed to an in-depth literature review. From this literature review, the researcher will be able to identify Saddam Hussein’s line of thoughts which made him decide to start a war against Iran. It is also hoped that the various support (emotional, political, and even financial support) that Iraq was getting will also be established. The last week will be spent on generalization and analysis. Information gathered from the in-depth literature review will be summarized. Conclusion and recommendations will all be based on the summarized analysis.
Resources and Support Needed (From the Suprvisor)
Letters from the university and from the supervisor may be needed so that the researcher will be allowed access to various history books, journals, and/or articles. More so, from time to time, the researcher will need to consult the supervisor if the research is on the right track and if everything is flowing smoothly. A once-a-week meeting between the teacher and the supervisor is ideal.
Possible Bibliography
Alfoneh, Ali (2007), “Iran’s Suicide Brigades Terrorism Resurgent“, Middle East Quarterly. Web.
Battle (editor), Joyce (2003), Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein: The U.S. Tilts toward Iraq, 1980-1984, vol. National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 82, George Washington University National Security Archive. Web.
BBC. Web.
Cordesman, Anthony, and Wagner,Abraham R. (1990). The Lessons of Modern War: Volume Two – The Iran-Iraq Conflict. Westview, 102.
Cruze, Gregory S. (1988), Iran and Iraq: Perspectives in Conflict, vol. research report, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College. Web.
Deutsche Welle report. Web.
Hunter, Jane (1986), “Special Report: Israeli Arms Sales to Iran“, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Web.
Iran: Air Force. Web.
Johns,Richard. “Arms Embargo Which Cannot Withstand The Profit Motive”, 1987.
Kelley, Stephen Andrew (2007), Better Lucky than Good: Operation Earnest Will as Gunboat Diplomacy, vol. Master’s Thesis, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
King, John (2003), Arming Iraq: A Chronology of U.S. Involvement, Iran Chamber Society. Web.
Mackey, Sandra (1996). The Iranians : Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation. Dutton, 317.
Martins, Mark S. (1994), “Rules of Engagement for Land Forces: A Matter of Training, Not Lawyering“, Military Law Review: 43-46. Web.
Rajaee, Farhang. The Iran-Iraq War: The Politics of Aggression. University Press of Florida.
“Who started the Iran-Iraq war?, Virginia Journal of International Law 33: pp. 69-89, Fall 1992. Web.
Wright, Robin (1989). In the Name of God : The Khomeini Decade. Simon and Schuster, 126.
Wright, Sacred Rage, 2001, p.37.