What if the Gulf War never happened?

Iraq's ability to do large scale damage took a hit too

Perhaps from the some points of view .. however iOTL
  • 2 million casualties in the Iran Iran Iraq war
  • ends August 1988
  • al Anfa genocide until at least 1989, of course anti Kurd actions were ongoing anyway
  • other mass murders in Iraq continue
  • Invasion of Kuwait August 1990
  • Feb 1991 Iraqi defeat with 100K casualties and billions of $ in damages
  • Marsh Arab revolt encouraged by US and suppressed ...

I think its a reasonable point of debate as to how much of that happens with the suggested POD
 
Perhaps from the some points of view .. however iOTL
  • 2 million casualties in the Iran Iran Iraq war
  • ends August 1988
  • al Anfa genocide until at least 1989, of course anti Kurd actions were ongoing anyway
  • other mass murders in Iraq continue
  • Invasion of Kuwait August 1990
  • Feb 1991 Iraqi defeat with 100K casualties and billions of $ in damages
  • Marsh Arab revolt encouraged by US and suppressed ...

I think its a reasonable point of debate as to how much of that happens with the suggested POD

I imagine the Marsh Arab revolt doesn't occur if the US doesn't encourage it. The Marsh Arabs still have the example of the Kurds at Halabya to consider. The Shi'ite revolt in 1991 also doesn't happened since that flowed forth from the Gulf War in large part. That said, other atrocities aren't ruled out given Saddam is still a bastard. All-in-all, however, I believe Iraq will be better off compared to OTL's 1990s.
 
I'm pro truth ... and irked by the level of deceit practiced by even the best of our leaders
and especially angry and worried by the levels of self deceit present in your/our citizens
which doesn't really answer why you are so irked about the US support of Iraq during that war... there was really no question about why we did it, even at the time, everyone knew why we did it...
 
which doesn't really answer why you are so irked about the US support of Iraq during that war... there was really no question about why we did it, even at the time, everyone knew why we did it...

I refer the honorable member to the answer I gave before
(*)

Specifically

didn't US support for Iraq evaporate after the Iran/Iraq War? IIRC, most of our support was intelligence, and we stopped giving it when the war was over.

No to all your assumptions .....

IMHO Your first post clearly understated the date, scale, nature and duration of US support to Saddam,
which I see as a common occurrence in this and similar threads.

That pattern, whether arising from genuine ignorance, self deceit or an intent to deceive others,
is what worries me far more that the "real politik" behind US actions
which though in many cases very regrettable are at least understandable.

However enuff said on that in this thread.


*= sorry for the obscure response .. I could not resist the opportunity.
AYMK There is an informal etiquette of language that may be used during debates in the British Parliament.
I am sure you can translate that particular one. :rolleyes:
 
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All-in-all, however, I believe Iraq will be better off compared to OTL's 1990s.

Probably given the OTL Gulf war left Saddam in place for that decade, damaged perhaps but even more desperate.
Kuwait of course is undamaged.
Iran ... little change but probably as effectively constrained by a more active Iraq as by US troops.
Saudi .. a major plus is the absence of those troops. No "infidels" on the sacred soil may lessen religious problems.

US - better off financially, worse off militarily.
Other "coalition" members ... all much better of financially and politically

However post 1999, what happens?
 
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