Reprint. Originally published: London : Grafton, 1989.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 311-313) and index.
Roots of Conflict -- Embattled Iran -- Outside Powers -- Embattled Iraq -- Impact of the War Abroad -- Total Warfare: tankers and cities -- International Repercussions -- Iran's Fao Offensive and After -- Internationalization of the War -- The End -- Conclusions.
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In The Longest War, Dilip Hiro describes the causes and courses of the Iran-Iraq military conflict and its effect on the two antagonists, as well as the rest of the world. He reveals the intricate twists and turns of international diplomacy and the realpolitik behind the rhetoric, providing a comprehensive and admirably balanced account of the political and military aspects of the longest war.
When President Saddam Hussein of Iraq attacked Iran in September 1980 he expected victory within three weeks. Eight years and more than a million casualties later, the conflict ended, with the same regimes in power. The fortunes of war brought great changes, with the involvement not just of the Arab states of the Gulf, but also the nations and superpowers of both the East and West. Having emerged unscathed from the conflict, Hussein combined his threats against Israel with an invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. In describing the causes and courses of the war and its effect on the two antagonists--as well as the rest of the world--Dilip Hiro lays bare the intricate twists and turns of international diplomacy, and reveals the realpolitik behind the rhetoric.