Who knows why Iran and Iraq fought an 8 year war?

Question

How many people know that both the Iraqis and Iranians used massive quantities of chemical weapons during this war (1980-1988)?

CaesarsGhost: The United States Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has long said they posses evidence of Iran's use of chemical weapons in the 8-year war. But they have refused to release this evidence. Their statements on the issue are well known, however.

The United nations, btw, investigated DIA's statements, and have said they can produce no evidence themselves to support DIA's statements. I'll take DIA at it's word over UN investigators though.

I'll allow this: Iraq used multiple times more frequently both sarin and mustard gas, and multiple times more raw quantity.

So much, in fact, that even the UN couldn't deny it's use. Though, of course, such use in itself wasn't reason enough to invade Iraq, by UN standards. As if UN standards ever mattered.

Answer 1

The war began when Iraq invaded Iran on 22 September 1980 following a long history of border disputes and demands for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime. Iraqi forces had early successes, but before long they were repelled and the conflict stabilized into a long war of attrition. Despite several calls for a ceasefire by the United Nations Security Council, hostilities continued until 20 August 1988; the last prisoners of war were exchanged in 2003. The war altered regional and even global politics, and led to the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

Objectives of Iraq's invasion of Iran were:
1. Acquisition of the Arvand/Shatt al-Arab waterway as part of Iraqi territory (Iraq's only port connection to The Persian Gulf).
2. Acquisition of the three islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, on the unilateral behalf of the UAE.
3. Annexing Khuzestan as part of Iraqi territory.

Answer 2

I thought it was a border dispute... in a situation where neither really liked each other in the first place due to religious tensions...

and of course they used WMD... where exactly do you think they got them? they didn't have the technology to develop much of that by themselves...

http://www.peterwerbe.com/rumsfeld_saddam.jpg

don't you remember they were our "allies" against the evil Iranians back then? So was Osama against the evil soviets in Afghanistan...

the US wouldn't have let anyone invade an ally, through the UN or not...

Answer 3

kuwait had oilfields near its border with Iraq. Saddam tried to grab those oil fields, claiming they were actually on iraqi land. he claimed the maps were wrong. similar situation with Iran.

Iraq used chemical weapons on the Iranians. I haven't heard of the Iranians using chemical weapons. Do you have a source for that info.?

Answer 4

1. Many of the Poison Gasses used by Iran were given to the Shah by us.

2. Most of the Gasses used by Iraq were given to them by us.
That's why the joke at the Pentagon was " We know he has WMDs we have reciepts"

3. According to the Army, the blood agent used to kill thousands of Kurds was issued to Iran not Iraq.

Answer 5

Remember the Ayatollah he is the reason behind the war and the reason that USA supplied arms to Saddam once again it came down to religion and oil.

Answer 6

Why?
Sunni vs Shia.

They have been fighting for the last few years or so.
Since about 632.

Answer 7

It was a muslim sectarian war. More than any world religion, Islam encourages war and turmoil. This has always been the case in the muslim world.