Archives 2000: [iac-disc.] cui bono? Iraq, Syria
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John Churchilly
Jun 16, 2025, 4:17:44 PM6/16/25
to themeritocracy
From: Carsten Heinrigs <ca...@gis.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 1, 2000 at 05:37:01 AM GMT+3
Subject: Re: [iac-disc.] cui bono?
The British-installed monarchy in Baghdad was overthrown in
1958 by a group of 'Free Officers' led by Colonel Abdul-Karim
Qasim. The British answered Iraqi claims that Kuwait really
belongs to the Iraqis with the formal proclamation of Kuwait's
independence in 1961. Additionally, they dispatched troops to
Kuwait.
Beginning with the Egyptian revolution of 1952, the Arab world
entered a new phase of its political development-the phase of
radical nationalism. The old nationalist forces fought mainly
for national independence. More emphasis was now put on the
radical social transformation of the societies.
By 1955, the Egyptian revolutionary regime coined a slogan
almost identical to that previously launched by the
Syrian-based Ba'th Party: freedom, socialism, unity. Seven
years later the National Charter of the United Arab Republic
was adopted in the spring of 1962. The Arab world was defined
as embracing one Arab nation, the latter divided artificially
into separate sovereign states. The Ba'th Party was prominent
and influential in Syria since 1954 and has been in power since
1963.
That same year Iraq saw turbulent and bloody times. Thousands
of Communist Party members were killed or arrested. The Ba'th
ruled nine months from February before the were ousted by their
erstwhile officer allies in November 1963. The Aref brothers
(Abdul Salam from 1963-66 and Abdur Rahman from 1966-68) took
over. Their rule was a military dictatorship like that of
Qasim, but is said to be less repressive. Nevertheless, in the
crackdowns against the Ba'th after 1963 many party members were
persecuted and imprisoned. The split between the Syrian and
Iraqi branch of the Ba'th dates from this period.
The Iraqi foreign policy was oriented toward a close
relationship with Cairo, whose ideological and organizational
patterns it tried to emulate. But the project of Arab unity
failed to materialize. Regionalism more and more dominated
politics and interests. The six day war of 1967 war was lost.
The economic situation deteriorated.
The Iraqi Ba'th took power in July 1968. The main coup-makers
Ahmad al-Bakr became President and Saddam Hussain Vize. They
dominated the Revolutionary Command Council, the 'supreme organ
of the state'. Through a policy of opportune alliances and
selective but thorough repression they were able to consolidate
the Ba'th rule.
Following the Lybian example Iraq nationalized the Iraqi
Petroleum Company (IPC) in June 1972. However, the
nationalization of the oil industry was not fully achieved
until 1975. The oil revenues raised significantly. Part of the
money was invested in development of basic infrastructure,
medical and educational infrastructure. Living conditions
finally improved significantly for most Iraqis.
It has become popular to talk about CIA assistance for Saddam
Hussain. But besides support in the war against Iran, i
couldn't find any indications of a significant relationship. We
should not talk about the CIA and Pentagon as almighty. Their
influence on the internal affairs of the newly independent
countries proved to be seriously limited.
It has also become popular to state that Iraq waged war against
Iran. But it was the Iranian revolutionary government that
threatened Iraq and provoked casualties in both southern and
northern Iraq. Sure Iraq was the first to escalate hostilities
to the level of conventional warfare.
The oil issue is very difficult to talk about because it is one
of the great myths and 'left' people are seriously infected. It
needs a lot of number crunching and economic analysis. I will
not try it now.
carst
--
"Nobody can help us but us."
Martin Luther King Jr.
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1958 by a group of 'Free Officers' led by Colonel Abdul-Karim
Qasim. The British answered Iraqi claims that Kuwait really
belongs to the Iraqis with the formal proclamation of Kuwait's
independence in 1961. Additionally, they dispatched troops to
Kuwait.
Beginning with the Egyptian revolution of 1952, the Arab world
entered a new phase of its political development-the phase of
radical nationalism. The old nationalist forces fought mainly
for national independence. More emphasis was now put on the
radical social transformation of the societies.
By 1955, the Egyptian revolutionary regime coined a slogan
almost identical to that previously launched by the
Syrian-based Ba'th Party: freedom, socialism, unity. Seven
years later the National Charter of the United Arab Republic
was adopted in the spring of 1962. The Arab world was defined
as embracing one Arab nation, the latter divided artificially
into separate sovereign states. The Ba'th Party was prominent
and influential in Syria since 1954 and has been in power since
1963.
That same year Iraq saw turbulent and bloody times. Thousands
of Communist Party members were killed or arrested. The Ba'th
ruled nine months from February before the were ousted by their
erstwhile officer allies in November 1963. The Aref brothers
(Abdul Salam from 1963-66 and Abdur Rahman from 1966-68) took
over. Their rule was a military dictatorship like that of
Qasim, but is said to be less repressive. Nevertheless, in the
crackdowns against the Ba'th after 1963 many party members were
persecuted and imprisoned. The split between the Syrian and
Iraqi branch of the Ba'th dates from this period.
The Iraqi foreign policy was oriented toward a close
relationship with Cairo, whose ideological and organizational
patterns it tried to emulate. But the project of Arab unity
failed to materialize. Regionalism more and more dominated
politics and interests. The six day war of 1967 war was lost.
The economic situation deteriorated.
The Iraqi Ba'th took power in July 1968. The main coup-makers
Ahmad al-Bakr became President and Saddam Hussain Vize. They
dominated the Revolutionary Command Council, the 'supreme organ
of the state'. Through a policy of opportune alliances and
selective but thorough repression they were able to consolidate
the Ba'th rule.
Following the Lybian example Iraq nationalized the Iraqi
Petroleum Company (IPC) in June 1972. However, the
nationalization of the oil industry was not fully achieved
until 1975. The oil revenues raised significantly. Part of the
money was invested in development of basic infrastructure,
medical and educational infrastructure. Living conditions
finally improved significantly for most Iraqis.
It has become popular to talk about CIA assistance for Saddam
Hussain. But besides support in the war against Iran, i
couldn't find any indications of a significant relationship. We
should not talk about the CIA and Pentagon as almighty. Their
influence on the internal affairs of the newly independent
countries proved to be seriously limited.
It has also become popular to state that Iraq waged war against
Iran. But it was the Iranian revolutionary government that
threatened Iraq and provoked casualties in both southern and
northern Iraq. Sure Iraq was the first to escalate hostilities
to the level of conventional warfare.
The oil issue is very difficult to talk about because it is one
of the great myths and 'left' people are seriously infected. It
needs a lot of number crunching and economic analysis. I will
not try it now.
carst
--
"Nobody can help us but us."
Martin Luther King Jr.
-------------------------------------------------
*** Iraq Action Coalition Discussion Forum ***
http://iraqaction.org/discussion.html
------------------------------------
*To Post a message, send it to: iac-dis...@eGroups.com
*To Subscribe, send a blank message to: iac-discussi...@eGroups.com
*To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: iac-discussio...@eGroups.com
* To see the List Guidelines, go to: http://iraqaction.org/discussion.html
*Any questions, contact the List Moderator at rma...@leb.net
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