The Conflict in Iraq

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The Conflict in Iraq
Mr. H Productions
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General Map of Iraq
What is the relative location of Iraq?
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A Brief History

• Part of the Fertile Crescent and ancient
  Mesopotamia (Sumeria, Babylonia, etc.)
• Persians controlled until Muslim conquest 638
  AD massive migration of Arabs to the region
• Ottoman rule began in 1500s (Kuwait as autonomous
  part of Iraq)
• Iraq carved out of Ottoman empire by Sykes-Picot
  Agreement (1916) became British mandate under
  League of Nations Kuwait separate from Iraq
• Brits mandate ended 1932, but on/off control
  until 1947 installed Arab monarch and supported
  Sunnis in power
• Saddam Hussein rises to official power in 1979.

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Key Iraq Facts

• About 10 of the worlds known petroleum
  reserves.
• About 25 million people.
• About 55 Shia Arab, 20 Sunni Arab, 20 Sunni
  Kurd, 5 Other.
• Saddam Hussein and the Bathist Party were Sunnis

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Recent Conflicts

• Israel -- part of 1948, 1967, 1973 wars nuclear
  reactor bombed by Israel in 1981 bombed
  (missiles) Israel in Persian Gulf War
• Iran/Iraq War -- 1980-1988
• Kurds/Shia -- gov. oppression/conflict on and
  off, especially during Iran/Iraq War
• Kuwait -- claimed Kuwait in 1961 disputes over
  Persian Gulf access (1970s) and oil fields
  (1980s/1990) invaded August 1990
• Desert Storm -- UN authorised military action
  demanded complete withdrawal by 15 January 1991
  6 week war disaster for Iraq
• USA-led invasion/conquest March 2003-?

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From Desert Storm

• USA/Brits protect no-fly zones in northern
  (Kurds) and southern (Shia) Iraq from Saddam
  retaliation
• UN/IAEA weapons inspectors . . . Lack of
  cooperation leads to pull out of inspectors 1998
  and air strikes on/off until 2002
• USA leads Coalition of the Willing to overthrow
  government of Iraq (and find WMDs) March 2003
  Operation Iraqi Freedom

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The Key Issues of the Current Crisis in Iraq

• Physical Geography -- location of water, oil
• Human Geography -- location of ethnic groups
  (relative to phys. geo.), relative location to
  key neighbors
• History -- Kurdistan, Shia/Sunni split, collapse
  of Ottoman Empire and British control (Sunni
  dominance)

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Physical Geography

• Where is the climate least dry in Iraq?

• Where does Iraqs water come from?

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Oil! Discovered 1927 and Initially Controlled by
Britain
Regions -- Which regions in Iraq have the
best/most petroleum?
Movement -- To what countries is Iraqs oil being
shipped?
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Human Geography
Location -- Where do the majority of Kurds live
in Iraq?
Region -- What region of the world is mostly
Kurdish?
Location -- Where do the majority of Sunni Arabs
live in Iraq?
Location -- Where do the Shia Arabs live in
Iraq? Region -- What region of the world is
mostly Shia?
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The Kurds

• What countries have large numbers of ethnic Kurds?

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The Sunni Triangle

• Most Sunnis are concentrated in an area known as
  the Sunni Triangle -- this is where most of the
  current violence is taking place. Why?
• Several famous and important Shia mosques and
  holy places are in or near the Sunni Triangle.

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The Shia World
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So Whos on First . . . Whos Shooting at Whom in
Iraq?

• Sunnis are shooting at Shia and Kurds, and USA .
  . . Why?
• Shia are shooting at Sunnis . . . Why?
• Kurds are shooting at Sunnis . . . Why?
• Insurgents (al Qaeda in Iraq) are shooting at
  Shia and USA. . . Why?
• Current Prime Minister is Nuri al-Maliki (head of
  Shia coalition)

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International Issues in Iraq

• USA Concerns -- WMDs, spread of democracy, spread
  of civil war, spread of wider war, recognition of
  Israel
• Turkey Concerns -- just say no to Kurdistan!
• Iran Concerns -- nobody picks on fellow Shia
  stick it to the Man
• Surrounding Arab Country Leadership Concerns --
  just say no to refugees, just so no to Shia
  power, just say no to democracy!
• Will a civil war erupt and draw in the neighbors?
• Will the price of oil and gasoline rise, causing
  inflation and ruining economies around the world?

• Will we have to sacrifice here at home due to the
  war and give up prom?