Soviet-Iraqi Relations, 1968-1988
Author | : Haim Shemesh |
Publisher | : Lynne Rienner Pub |
Total Pages | : 285 |
Release | : 1992 |
ISBN-10 | : 155587293X |
ISBN-13 | : 9781555872939 |
Rating | : 4/5 (3X Downloads) |
Book excerpt: From the beginning of the Ba'th regime in 1968 to the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, Iraq was the Soviet Union's most important ally in the Middle East. Haim Shemesh explores the evolution of this Soviet-Iraqi relationship - one that Moscow often exploited - concentrating on the impact of the 1969-1975 and 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq conflicts on the fluctuations in Soviet-Iraqi ties and also examining other issues relevant to the alliance: the Iraqi communist party, the Kurdish problem, and developments in the Arab East, including the Arab-Israeli dispute. Shemesh's conclusions, based on comparative analyses of Soviet, Arab and Western sources, contribute to a better understanding of not only Soviet-Middle Eastern relations, but also Soviet-Third World relations in general.