The Iran-Iraq War New International Perspectives [Paperback]

This volume offers a wide-ranging examination of the IranIraq War (198088), 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 IranIraq 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 IranIraq Warre-assesses not only the superpower role in the conflict but also the wars 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 IranIraq 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.

1. Introduction, Nigel Ashton and Bryan Gibson  Part I: Waging the War 2. Lessons Learned: Civil Military Relations during the Iran-Iraq War and its influence on the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Iraq War, Ibrahim Al-Marashi 3. Saddam and the Iran-Iraq War: Rule from the Top, Williamson Murray and Kevin Woods4. Mustazafin and Taghutti: Iran and the War, 1980-1988, Rob JohnsonPart II: Economic Dimensions of the War