Why did events in the Gulf matter, 1970-2000? - Iraq Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Why did events in the Gulf matter, 1970-2000? - Iraq Deck (52)
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1
Q

Why was it important that countries in the Persian Gulf followed diplomatic and foreign policies which promoted peace and stability?

A

They collectively housed around one half of the world’s known oil reserves

2
Q

Who was Saddam politically influenced by in his early life?

A

His uncle Khairallah Tulfah, developing an appreciation of Arab nationalism

3
Q

What party did Saddam join and in what year?

A

The Baath Party, 1957

4
Q

What did Saddam become involved in, in the Baath party?

A

Violent anti-government activities

5
Q

What did Saddam establish in his early years?

A

He established his credentials as a ruthless operator

6
Q

When was the Hashemite monarchy overthrown?

A

July 1958

7
Q

Who overthrew the Hashemite monarchy?

A

General Qassem

8
Q

What happened to Iraq after its government was overthrown in 1958

A

It became a republic

9
Q

Who, and when, did Saddam need to assassinate, following orders from the Baath party?

A

General Qassem, in October 1959

10
Q

Was the assassination of General Qassem successful?

A

The attempt failed but Saddam emerged as one of Iraq’s most wanted men

11
Q

What did Saddam have to do after the attempted assassination of General Qassem?

A

He had to go into exile and spent the time extending his education in Europe

12
Q

When was Qassem overthrown?

A

In February 1963, he had also died

13
Q

Who was Qassem replaced by after he was overthrown?

A

He was replaced by a government consisting of army officers and the Baath Party. Saddam held a minor position in this government

14
Q

Who was the new Prime Minister of Iraq?

A

Ahmad Hasan Al-Bakr

15
Q

What had helped Saddam gain his position within the Regional Command?

A

Bakr’s position as a leader of the moderates strengthened

16
Q

Where was the position Saddam had gained within the Baath party, and what was this?

A

The Regional Command

This was the decision-making body of the Baath Party within Iraq

17
Q

Who did Saddam plot a coup against?

A

President Arif

18
Q

Why did Saddam try and plot a coup against President Arif?

A

He believed that the key to acquiring and staying in power was an armed forced. He therefore aimed to acquire responsibility for security affairs and was put in cahrge of the Party’s military organisaion

19
Q

What did the coup against President Arif result in for Saddam?

A

His plans were uncovered and he spend two years in jail

20
Q

When did Saddam escape jail?

A

July 1966

21
Q

What did Saddam concentrate on upon his escape from jail?

A

He concentrated on strengthening the party, including the establishment of a new military force, and his position within the party

22
Q

Who did Saddam collaborate with after he escaped jail?

A

He collaborated with a group of senior army officers who held key government positions and who were sympathetic to the Baath cause

23
Q

What did Saddam carry out with his collaborators after he escaped jail?

A

A bloodless coup in July 1968 against President Arif

24
Q

What was the result of the second coup against President Arif?

A

President Arif was flown to London and Bakr became president

25
Q

What was Saddam’s reward for carrying out a successful coup?

A

He was to be made Deputy Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council. Saddam was now the second most important person in the government

26
Q

When did Saddam Hussein become president?

A

1979, at the age of 42

27
Q

What did Saddam rule Iraq as?

A

As a dictator. He was Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces

28
Q

Who was Saddam’s political hero?

A

Joseph Stalin

29
Q

What did Mashhadi, the Secretary General of the Revolutionary Command Council, do that resulted in him being relieved of his duties?

A

He questioned the validity of Saddam’s appointment

30
Q

What had happened to Mashhadi?

A

He was brought before the senior Baath Party members. He gave a detailed fabricated confession of crimes against the state naming 66 alleged co-consiprators

31
Q

What had happened to the 66 alleged co-conspirators named by Mashhadi?

A

At a special court, 55 were found guilty and either sentenced to death or given prison sentences

32
Q

What happened to many of the Baath party members and military officers?

A

Hundreds of party members and military officers were removed from their positions, with many being executed

33
Q

What became a regular feature of Saddam’s rule by terror?

A

False accusations, arrests, torture and trials. In most instances the accused received lengthy prison sentences or were executed

34
Q

Why was it difficult to unite the state of Iraq?

A

Because of the differences within the population, with 20% being Kurds and 60% Shiites. The Shiites were hostile to the Sunni-dominated regime

35
Q

What did the Kurds want?

A

Independence

36
Q

When was Saddam’s campaign against the Kurds at its height?

A

Between 1987 - 1988, and again in 1991

37
Q

What did Saddam do to the Kurds?

A

He destroyed half of Kurdistan’s villages and towns, killed thousands of Kurds using mustard gas and cyanide, and displaced more than a million people

38
Q

What did many of the Kurds do?

A

Many fled to Iran or Turkey, whilst others housed in concentration camps in the Iraqi desert

39
Q

When did Saddam take action against the Shiites?

A

1991

40
Q

What happened to the Shiites?

A

The Republican Guard carried out arrests and summary executions
Civilians were used as human shields, fastened to the front of tanks. Women and children were shot on sight

41
Q

What did Saddam want to do in the south-east Iraq?

A

He wanted to destroy the marshes to enable a new waterway to be constructed. The Marsh Arabs were victims of chemical weapon attacks or were starved to death

42
Q

What was the nature of Saddam Hussein’s rule in Iraq?

A
  • Purges and terror
  • Waging war on his people
  • Personality cult
  • Modernisation
  • Military expansion
  • Totalitarianism
43
Q

How did Saddam want to be seen as to the Iraqi people to make them love him?

A

He was set out to cultivate an image of a father-style leader

44
Q

How did Saddam cultivate popularity?

A
  • establishing a permanent exhibition about himself in Baghdad
  • featuring his life story through the press
  • glorifying himself through articles in newspapers and on television
  • hanging portraits on street corners and in party and government offices
  • having songs written in praise of him
  • renaming roads after himself
  • commissioning statues, murals and paintings
45
Q

What was the result of modernisation?

A

Wages rose, taxes were cut and basic foodstuffs were subsidised

46
Q

What did modernisation include?

A
  • supplying electricity to even remote villages
  • developing heavy industry including, steel, petrochemical and coal
  • building a countrywide network of oil pipelines
  • establishing a new radio and television network to enable the spreading of government propaganda
  • starting major building programmes for schools, houses and hospitals
  • introducing a major campaign to end adult illiteracy
  • making hospital treatment free
47
Q

Who supplied most supplies to Iraq?

A

Soviet Russia, with Iraq becoming a major military power

48
Q

What did Saddam purchase from European states?

A

He purchased tanks, planes, helicopters, surface-to-air missiles and electronic equiment, blueprints for chemical weapons

49
Q

When did Saddam construct his first chemical warfare plant?

A

The middle of 1979.

He was soon producing chemical weapons, including agents as anthrax

50
Q

What were children taught in school?

A

They were brainwashed as were young adults in the Baath youth organisations as they were introduced the idea of a glorious leader

51
Q

What did censorship ensure?

A

That critical views of Saddam were never heard or read

It was a capital offence to criticise government

52
Q

What was essential if a career in public office was to be followed?

A

Membership of the Baath Party