War between Iran and Iraq
Moderator
Krogh, Peter F. (Peter Frederic)
Repository
DigitalGeorgetown
Person Interviewed
McNaugher, Thomas L.
Helms, Richard
Abstract
Examines the Iran-Iraq war: as Iran prepares for a possible invasion of Iraq, should the United States become involved?
Description
In September 1980 Iraq invaded Iran seeking to settle long-standing border disputes. With the aftereffects of the Islamic Revolution still engrossing much of Iran, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein anticipated a quick military victory that would expand his territory and enhance his status as the region's central military power. Saddam miscalculated, however, and the war only increased Iran's revolutionary fervor. While Iran suffered heavy losses at first, gradually the tide turned against Iraq, and by 1984 Iran was amassing its troops on the border in preparation for an invasion. Desperate to turn back Iran, Saddam turned to chemical weapons such as mustard gas, and as the bloody conflict stretched on hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children on both sides of the conflict lost their lives. Fearing that an Iranian victory would disrupt the United States' oil supply, and with the Iranian hostage crisis in the not-so-distant past, Washington began talks with the Iraqi regime over economic and military support. Yet despite concerns over the oil supply, doubts about American involvement in the war remained. In this episode Richard Helms, former U.S. ambassador to Iran and Director of Central Intelligence, and Dr. Thomas McNaugher of the Brookings Institution discuss the Iran-Iraq War and the question of American involvement.
Permanent Link
http://hdl.handle.net/10822/552703Date
1984-03-25Rights Note
For more information about copyright for materials within DigitalGeorgetown, please consult https://www.library.georgetown.edu/copyright/digitalgeorgetown.
Subject
Location
Middle East; Iran; Iraq;
Publisher
Jefferson Communications Inc.
Georgetown University. School of Foreign Service
Extent
28 min.
Metadata
Show full item recordRelated items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Iraq and its neighbors : policing a tough neighborhood
Krogh, Peter F. (Peter Frederic) (The Kentucky NetworkGeorgetown University. School of Foreign ServiceForeign Policy Association, 1999)