Our specialists combine incountry experience, language skills. The authors used a treasure trove of original, iraqi documents some 600,000 captured during operation iraqi freedom and thousands of hours of interviews with former iraqi military officials. An attack is set up against the iraqis in the town of alamara. Us air power phase the us player has the capability of interrupting the iranian player turn and inserting one of his own phases. Air force manual 11, functions and basic doctrine of the united states air.
Iran s islamic revolution of 1979 was a big and unpleasant surprise to pretty much every government that cared, especially to the west, which lost an important ally the shah. During the conflict, the iraqi air force obtained all the equipment and. After joining the iraqi army, general tarfa served as an intelligence. The iraniraq war, by pierre razoux, is a very well written account of the iraniraq war, which began in 1980 with the iraqi invasion of iran, and ended in 1989. Estimates of total casualties range from 1,000,000 to twice that number. Two titanic air forces armed with advanced fighters took part in aerial battles on a scale that will hopefully never be repeated. Iraq war transition of iranian leadership and military decision to invade. The iraq and iran war strained iraqs political, and social life. This 8 years war before the fall of saddam hussiens regime undermines the tragedy of the iraqi people 5 years later. Irans islamic revolution of 1979 was a big and unpleasant surprise to pretty much every government that cared, especially to the west, which lost an important ally the shah. The iraqis claimed a total of five air to air kills with these missiles, including two f5es, one f4d, one ch, and a bell 214c helicopter.
During that war, badr guerrillas conducted attacks from iran into southern iraq against iraqi officials. Participation of a child soldier on the iranian front top left. The iraqiran war 1980 1988 on 22 september 1980, iraqi troops invaded iran, starting a war that would last for eight years. Irans may 1982 recapture of khorramshahr exposed iraqs southern city of basra to iranian attack. Many were subsequently integrated into the iraqi security forces, particularly the army and the national police. This is a study of the iraniraq war from which we attempt to derive useful lessons for military professionals. At the end, virtually none of the issues which are usually blamed for the war had been resolved. Which is a very siginficant period of time due to the importance of the political events such as, eight years of war between iraq and iran, from 1980 to 1988. The iraniraq war lasted nearly eight years, from september of 1980 until august of 1989, and resulted in more than one and a half million war and warrelated casualties.
Iraniraq relations congressional research service summary with a conventional military and weapons of mass destruction wmd threat from saddam husseins regime removed, iran seeks, at a minimum, to ensure that iraq can never again become a threat to iran, whether or not there are u. Loyalty to the state was no longer a primary requisite for joining. Jan 27, 2016 the last great air war was that between iran and iraq 19801988. The abundant subtropical vegetation of the caspian coastal region is supported by rich brown forest soils. Jan 03, 2016 the war between saddam husseins iraq and ruhollah khomeinis iran ended 27 years ago, before most of todays iraqis and iranians were alive. The alluvial deposits are mostly chalky, and many are used for pottery. Iraniraq war 198088, prolonged military conflict between iran and iraq. Iraniraq relations before the war the shah of iran believed that iraq and the soviet union were irans primary threats. The longest war is divided into four phases, each having a chapter that accounts for the action political and military in iran and iraq and with an accompanying chapter on the role played by outsiders. Long term causes short term causes since regaining all lost territory in 1982, iran was on the offensive until 1988 course of war changed radically in spring of 1988, moving nations to ceasefire series of iraqi victories in 1988 compelled iran to accept previously refused. Thefirstarabisraeli war194749 it is hard to say if the arab air forces learned any airpower lessons from their experiencesin thefirst warwith israel. Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military. The iraniraq war was originally referred to as the persian gulf war until the persian gulf war of 1990 and 1991, after which it was known as the first persian gulf war. List of books and articles about iraniraq war online.
This game features everything from human wave assaults to chemical and missile attacks. Eight years of fighting left more than one million people dead and caused huge disasters for both sides, thereby grimly blistering ties between tehran and baghdad. The dassault mirage f1 was a singleengine fighter aircraft, designed to function as both an interceptor aircraft and as a capable ground attack platform. Except that they should have been scored within 12 months of first sidewinderdeliveries to iraq, exact dates of these claims remain unknown, and there is no firm confirmation from iran. Iran now again attempted to divide the six by combining pressure with concilia. The iranian revolution in 1979 would drastically changed iraniraq relations for 24 years. The war began when iraq invaded iran, launching a simultaneous invasion by air and land into iranian territory on 22 september 1980 following a long history of border disputes, and fears of shia insurgency among iraqs longsuppressed shia majority influenced by the iranian revolution. Iraqi jets were only effectively used in the beginning and at the end of the war and during the tanker war.
A military and strategic history goes far beyond these themes, taking a unique look at saddams decisionmaking throughout the war. Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military history. The iraniraq war involved the use of a wide range of air defense, air. Fighting was ended by a 1988 ceasefire, though the resumption of normal diplomatic relations and the withdrawal of troops did not take place until 1990. English as the persian gulf war prior to the gulf war of 1990. Ammar al hakim has led isci since the death of his father, abd.
Karshs book on the iraniraq war not only suffers from only skimming the surface of a complex. Secretary of state mike pompeo announced a dialogue with iraq on a strategic framework agreement, scheduled to start in june, amid ongoing u. The iranians utilized manual codes through 1982, but the. Mountain soils are shallow layers over bedrock, with a high proportion of unweathered fragments. An aptly named simulation of the 19801988 war between iran and iraq.
Beyond that however, karshs book provides a limited and somewhat helpful overview of the military and political aspects that influenced the war. In the gulf war of 19901991, when the coalition intervened, they faced the worlds fourth largest air force to combat. It sparked an unsuccessful uprising against saddam at the end of the 1991 persian gulf war. The role of airpower in the iraniraq war air university. Iraniraq war, 198088, protracted military conflict between iran and iraq. Although iraq won the war militarily, and possessed a significant military advantage over iran in 1989, the 1991 persian gulf war reduced iraqs capabilities to a point where. History has to be looked at through different perspectives often to discern the truth. The iran iraq war was an armed conflict between the islamic republic of iran and the republic of iraq lasting from september 1980 to august 1988. Natural erosion moves the finertextured soils into the valleys. Iraniraq war, 198088, prolonged military conflict between iran and iraq during the 1980s. This is a list of all known airtoair engagements that occurred during the gulf war.
In the fall of 1980, one of the largest and most destructive conflicts to occur since the end of the second world war started between the states of iran and iraq. Part of the arab iranian conflict and persian gulf conflicts. Thus, the war in a sense no winner, and both countries suffered from the war. After 2003, thousands of badr militiamen entered southern iraq from iran to help secure that part of the country. In november 1971, iran occupied three islands belonging to united arab emirates uae.
Port quarter view of uss stark listing to port after being mistakenly struck by an iraqi warplane middle left. Williamson murray is professor emeritus at the ohio state university and senior fellow at ida. Another part of the propaganda is to merge a future war against iran with the heroic memories of the sixday war nearly 45 years ago, as excia analyst ra. The iran iraq war brought into focus some of those traditions and how they conflicted, while also bringing iraq and its economic situation into the spotlight. Iraq frequently used the defense in depth method where it would allow iranian troops to assault a position and sustain heavy casualties before falling back to a secondary defensive line. Iran, they argued, had to carry the war to the enemy until iraqs secular baathist sic. Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military history book tom cooper, farzad bishop on. Aug 14, 2015 however, during the air war, although iraqi planes flew to safety in iran, iran has so far refused to return them. Since joining ida, he has researched the military strategic history of. Given the groups deep ties to iran and its political and military preeminence, analysts have compared the badr organization in iraq to hezbollah in lebanon. Iraniraq war caused an enormous ecomomic, military and social problems to both iran and iraq. Air combat memoirs of the iranian air force pilots. Applying the sixday war to iran may 17, 2012 exclusive.
Morerecently, however,theyhadusedtactical airpoweralongwithgroundforces toassistthesultan. During these years, the air combat produced many aces in the iranian air force, thanks to a superior training and doctrine. Several years after the arab oil embargo, seeing another major oil exp. Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military history book. List of iranian aerial victories during the iraniraq war. Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order 1toz.
Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 by tom cooper and farzad bishop atglen, pa. One would be hard pressed to find a region in the world today where conflict is as prevalent as the middle east. When put into practice, the administrations policy fell short of expectations. While officially developed for the french air force as a capable air defense aircraft, dassault had placed considerable emphasis on developing the mirage f1 for ground attack duties as a secondary role during its early design. The many ties that bind iran and iraq world news mideast. With this new influx, iran became the country with the. The iran iraq war, which ended in august 1988, one month short of its eighth anniversary, was one of the longest, bloodiest and costliest third world armed conflicts in the twentieth century.
Both iran and iraq entered their war having a certain amount of historical experienceintheuseoftacticalairpower. The west, including the united states, felt that the war aided in both the containment of iran and the exhaustion. Although iraq won the war militarily, and possessed a significant military advantage over iran in 1989, the 1991 persian gulf war reduced iraqs capabilities to a point where a rough parity now exists between iran and iraqconditions similar to those found in 1980. Tensions soon spilled over into outright war when saddam invaded. Iranian soldier wearing protective gas mask against iraqi chemical attacks top right. The badr organization is a shiite political party and paramilitary force that acts as irans oldest proxy in iraq. Intelligence indicates iran may be planning a serious attack on u. The war did not result in territorial changes, and killed over 1 million people on both sides of the border. Nato to maintain the use of air bases in turkey, and were therefore reluctant to criticize the turkish government for closing its border. As the refugees poured into iran, the iranian government requested unhcr assistance. This eight year conflict, makes iran the second country in the region with more combat aces, along with israel.
Ayatollah khomeini has been replaced by ayatollah khameini, who appears to be. There are a total of 27 iraniraq war aircraft 1980 1988 entries in the military factory. As the iranians are concentrating for an attack, it looks like a good idea to conduct an air strike. The united states has strongly criticized both syria and iran for contributing to the regions volatility and, in particular, for playing a destabilizing role in each of three regional conflicts. Just as gold sifted from the flow of a river, the truth of past events must be looked at in the same patient and open view. The framework for studying saddams air force is available in air force manual afm 11.
Open warfare began on september 22, 1980, when iraqi armed forces invaded western iran along the countries joint border, though iraq claimed that the war had begun earlier that month, on september 4, when iran shelled a number of border posts. The government is dominated by a shiite bloc, with a prime minister who is a member of the aldawa party, which. In the opening days of the war, many airair engagements occurred, where iraqi interceptors would engage coalition aircraft. Iraq, in particular, came to rely more on light surfacetoair missiles than medium or. And tehran armed the puk during its fighting with the kdp from 1994 to 1998.
The outbreak of the iraniraq war, an outline 826 words 3 pages. Two titanic air forces armed with advanced fighters took part in aerial battles on a scale that will hopefully never. Impact iran has several reasons to be pleased with the government of iraq. The books on the iraniraq war have been neither voluminous nor satisfying, in part because iran and iraq have remained relatively closed. By then there was already unambiguous evidence indicating the urgency of defusing the imminent danger posed by iraq and its primary allies in the growing terrorist conspiracy. War background hoping to take advantage of the chaos of the iranian revolution iraq invaded iran in sept. Iranian casualties during the eight years of iraqiran conflict pdf. Iran iraq war caused an enormous ecomomic, military and social problems to both iran and iraq. Iraqs stated reason for initiating the war was defensive.
Part of the arabiranian conflict and persian gulf conflicts. Shatt alarab waterway formed by the confluence of the tigris and euphrates rivers, the shatt alarab arabic. The alluvial deposits are mostly chalky, and many are used for. War broke out between iraq and iran in september 1980. Iranian air force pilots in combat 198088 translated and edited by kash ryan the last great air war was that between iran and iraq 19801988. And irans supreme leader ayatollah khomeini, founder of the islamic republic, sought to reinin his troops on the iranian side of the frontier and consolidate the 1979 revolution. The iraqkuwait conflict, which was known as the second persian gulf war, eventually became known simply as the persian gulf war. Iraniraq war causes and effects by rebecca abelson on prezi. Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily the primary operator. Pdf the iraniraq war can be seen both as a symptom of.
Iraqs close ally, the soviet union, was distressed with iraqi expansionist moves but happy to see the spread of irans muslim fundamentalism checked. Operation beitolmoqaddas had effectively neutralized invading iraqi forces. Americas neocons continue to beat the drums for war with iran, brushing aside warnings even from israeli intelligence veterans. Another round of fighting is set up near fallujah to protect the western flank of baghdad.
The preparations for and conduct of the war were marred by endemic and profound intelligence failures and unprecedented politicization of the military planning and actual. In addition, suggestions that large refugee camps for iraqi kurds in turkey. The first gulf war, better known as the iraqiran war the imposed war, as the iranian authorities came to call it was one of the longest and most atrocious interstate conflicts since the end of world war ii. One constant for the council since 1980 is that it has been at grips with. Dec 12, 2002 this book focuses on the role of the air power in the iran iraq war of 19801988, one of the most underestimated and under researched events in the history of aerial warfare. The iraniraq war, by pierre razoux the new york times.
The iranian air force was equipped with the f4 and f5e, but the undisputed master of the skies was the f14 tomcat which destroyed over 150 iraqi. If anything, the world looked upon the iraniraq war with some relief. Theiiafhadlessactualcombatexperience havingonly fired in angerduringperiodicborder problemswithiraq. The iraqis claimed a total of five airtoair kills with these missiles, including two f5es, one f4d, one ch, and a bell 214c helicopter. Manosevitz in october 1980, the cia briefed then presidential candidate ronald reagan on the impact of the iraniraq war in the middle east. Although leading political figures will often air their dirty laundry in the. The iran iraq war was not a stalemate in the same way that many think of the western front during world war i, but still featured the use of trench warfare. The authors have made full use of extensive research, eyewitness accounts, interviews with dozens of people directly involved, as well as recently declassified documents. This is due to iraqs preference for jet fights and not bombers as well as the extremely effective iranian use of antiair defenses and its own air force which was constantly struggling at staying operational due to a lack of spare parts. Professor karsh addresses the causes of the iran iraq war, unpacking the objectives of the two belligerents and examining how far objectives were matched.
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