1. 6th most lethal war of the 20th Century

2. Tensions Territorial disputes in the Straits of Hormuz
Shatt al Arab Waterway
Iranian Revolution
Anti Ba’ath riots
Attempted assassination of Tariq Aziz
Expulsion of 70,000 Shi’ites
Instigation of riots in Khuzestan

3. Resources
Iraq possessed 200,000 soldiers, 2,000 tanks and 450 aircraft
1979 Oil boom 33 Billion$
Extensive loans from Kuwait
$20 million from Saudi Arabia
Extensive US aid
Sale of weapons
Officer purges 85 senior general 12,000 officers
60% desertion
Lack of spare parts for US made equipment
1000 tanks 200 aircraft

4. Saddam’s mis-calculation, Revolutionary disorder or revolutionary fervor
Protracted war: Iran unwilling to cease fighting, Iraq unable
Highly asymmetrical due to Iraqi access to advanced weaponry
indiscriminate ballistic-missile attacks on cities by both sides, mostly by Iraq; extensive use of chemical weapons (mostly by Iraq); and some 520 attacks on third-country oil tankers

5. Trench Warfare
both armies had a large number of infantry with modern small arms
little armor, aircraft, or training in combined operations

6. Iran’s Position Absent of advanced weapons
Deprived of experienced military officers that had been purged
Population of 40 million as opposed to Iraq’s 13
Only available strategy relied on mass infantry attacks
High population moral

7. Human Wave Attacks Used as mine sweeping and to absorb artillery fire
95,000 Child soldiers
Iraq strategy “defense in depth”

8. Tanker War and the War on the Cities
Attacks on 3rd country oil tankers leaving Iranian ports
Attacks on cities inflicting damage on civilian population
February ,000 Iranian civilian casualties

9. Years of failed attempts to penetrate Iraqi defenses
Iraq maintained an entrenched position until 1988
Large scale Iraqi counter attack in April leading to the reluctant acceptance of a UN sponsored ceasefire.

10. Foreign Aid
Iraq directly supported with arms and finances by Kuwait, SA, US
US, China, Brazil, USSR, major sales of weapons to both
Israel supports Iran

11. Iran – Contra Affair
began as an operation to free 7 American hostages in Lebanon help by Hezbollah
Israel would ship weapons to Iran,
United States would resupply Israel and receive the Israeli payment. The Iranian recipients promised to help with release of hostages.
plan deteriorated into an arms-for-hostages scheme
portion of the proceeds diverted to fund anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua
5 of 7 eventually released

12. Weapons of Mass Destruction
US exported $500 million of dual use exports to Iraq
Among them were advanced computers, some of which were used in Iraq's nuclear program.
The non-profit American Type Culture Collection and the Centers for Disease Control sold or sent biological samples of anthrax, West Nile virus and botulism to Iraq up until 1989

13. Operation Anfal
Campaign against the Kurdish population of northern Iraq 1986 – 1989
Halabja Massacre March 16, 1988, Iraqi attempt to repel the Iranian and Kurdish forces. 48 hours after the fall of the town 3,200 and 5,000 deaths
7,000 to 10,000 casualties mostly civilians.
Thousands more died of, diseases, and birth defects after
largest chemical weapons attack directed against a civilian-population in history

14. Iran Air 655 Previous incidents with both belligerents July 3, 1988
USS Vincennes
290 Killed
1996 "...the United States recognizes the aerial incident of 3 July 1988 as a terrible human tragedy and expressed deep regret over the loss of lives caused by the incident..
$61 Million compensation

15. Outcomes UN Resolution 598 War ends July 20, 1988 500,000 Deaths
1 million permanent invalids,
$228 billion expended
$400 billion in damage
Inconsequential gains
exclusive Iraqi sovereignty over the Shatt-el-Arab waterway
Hussein surrendered that gain in need of Iran’s neutrality in anticipation of the 1991 Gulf War.

16. Effects on Regional and International Relations
Cements the Iranian Islamic Revolution
Entrenches hostility between the US and Iran
Increased sectarianism
Invasion of Kuwait by Iraq
Gulf War I