Powerful and rich Ba'athist régime in Iraq?

How powerful could a Ba'athist Iraq get?

I wonder if a US-backed Iraq sponsored as a counterweight to a Soviet-aligned Iran could grow rather strong. That scenario would necessitate a different outcome to Iranian revolution, with leftists taking the helm. I like this scenario.

Any comments on this, or other ideas?
 
How powerful could a Ba'athist Iraq get?

I wonder if a US-backed Iraq sponsored as a counterweight to a Soviet-aligned Iran could grow rather strong. That scenario would necessitate a different outcome to Iranian revolution, with leftists taking the helm. I like this scenario.

Any comments on this, or other ideas?

Um... you mean the US-backed Iraq that fought Iran in the Iran-Iraq war? That's OTL.

Consider this: On May 17th, 1987, USS Stark (FFG-31) was hit by two Exocets fired from an Iraqi aircraft, causing 37 KIA. US reaction: virtually none.
On April 4th, 1988, USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) hit a mine, laid during ongoing Iranian operations, causing zero KIA. US reaction: four days later the US sinks several Iranian vessels in Operation Praying Mantis.

Seems like the US was backing someone despite good reason not to. No response to a deliberate attack that caused dozens of fatalities, but a heavy response to hitting a mine that caused just ten WIA and no KIA.
 
Well, I meant more US-aligned than OTL. But I admit I didn't think about it in relative terms that much. Apologies.
 
Avoid the Iraq-Iran War which indirectly (to my knowledge) led to the Gulf War. Keep the two countries from going at it (or at least in the high intensity that it was in our time-line) and Iraq is a lot better and probably richer for it.
 
Top