1. IRAQ

2. History of Iraq
This region was part of the Ottoman Empire in the 1500’s.
During WWI, Great Britain set up the Kingdom of Iraq and put a Pro-British ruler into power.

3. History of Iraq In the 1950’s this government was overthrown.
After a series of other governmental changes the Ba’ath Party too power in 1968.

4. Iraq: Saddam Hussein
A Ba’ath leader named Saddam Hussein became the president.
Saddam Hussein was a harsh ruler. He controlled the press, restricted personal freedoms and killed numerous political enemies.
Iraq was the second largest oil exporter in the world.

5. Iraq: Iraq/Iran War In 1980 Iraq invaded Iran.
Saddam Hussein was worried that the Shia Islamic revolution that was taking place in Iran would spill over into Iraq.

7. Iraq’s Oil Fields

8. Iraq: Iraq/Iran War
Saddam Hussein decided to take advantage of the chaos in Iran and invade without being noticed.
The Iranians fought back and the Iraq/Iran war continued until Both countries suffered.
After the Iraq/Iran War, Saddam Hussein found that his country was so much in debt, that he decided to invade Kuwait to gain control of the oil fields.

9. Iraq: Persian Gulf War
An alliance of countries (including U. S. and Great Britain) forced the Iraqis out of Kuwait

10. Iraq: Persian Gulf War

11. Iraq: Results of The Persian Gulf War
Saddam Hussein remained in power in Iraq.
Because Saddam refused to accept U. N. terms for peace, the U. N. placed an embargo on Iraq.
Iraq’s economy suffered as a result of the embargo.
600 oil fields in Kuwait were set on fire with devastating environmental affects.