Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

The Importance of Iraq

  

 

            

               Since the ancient times, Iraq has always been considered a key region of land. In Ancient times it spawned the birth of 4 great empires; Samarians, Assyrians, Babylonians and the Persians. There are two reasons why this region was important in ancient times. Those reasons had to do with its location and the two rivers flowing through the region, Tigris and Euphrates. These rivers made the land in the region fertile, which spawned the growth of these empires.

 

                In modern times, one more reason has emerged; Iraq is supposed to have one of the largest oil reserves in the world. There is speculation that Iraq’s oil reserves are much larger than Saudi Arabia’s. Under this presumption, the United States tried to persuade the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, to take on huge debts, in order to finance cost of bringing up the oil. They were also planning on making sure the Iraqis were solely dependent on the U.S. 

 

This plan had worked before in Saudi Arabia. After the Saudis imposed an oil embargo on the United States, the states soon realized the nation’s importance and began to develop it in a way so that everything the Saudis do depends on the United States. This did not just benefit the United States though, as the Saudis have made billions off of oil revenues.

 

Iraq rejected the offer and proceeded to attack Kuwait. The United States mobilized an army to defend Kuwait. The war with Iraq was called Gulf War 1. This would turn out to be the beginning of the end for Iraq.

 

Kuwait had a very strategic value, if the Iraqis could take it; it would give them a bigger coastline, which would allow for more trade and economic growth for the Iraqis. The US stepped in though and called the Iraqi attack “Unprovoked.” This statement is very ironic coming from the US as just a few years before; they invade Panama for no apparent reason. After this they installed a pro-USA government in the region to gain control of the Panama Canal.

 

The 2003 invasion of Iraq is very controversial. The mass hysteria created by the 2001 September 11th terrorist attacks, combined with the government propaganda, portraying the region in a negative light, allowed the US forces to attack Iraq.

 

When diplomacy fails, assassinations fail, then when proposed ideas fail, the US military is always there to enforce other countries to comply with the US’s interests, Iraq in 2003, Panama in 1989 and many other wars before, in-between and after these conflicts.