During the first week of June 2008, the negotiating continues over a replacement agreement for the U.N. mandate to a long-term security agreement between US and Iraq, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates said: “The regional countries needed some time to understand the new Iraq, which has undergone a big change,” At the same time Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa told reporters that his country has decided its embassy should be in agreement with the Iraqi government, and: “the new ambassador is currently being chosen.” the minister said.
The plans represent a significant boost for the Iraqi government, which has worked to persuade Arabian Gulf states to reopen their embassies in Baghdad. Arabian Gulf states are the largest contributors of aid to Iraq and this step is a turning point in Iraq’s interaction with the Arabian Gulf States.
Who Needs Who?
Keeping in mind that the Arabian Gulf States will not allow Iraq to join the Gulf Cooperation Council, and not considering all or partial cancellation of Iraq's outstanding debt, the Iraqi people see their country as a garage with trucks and trailers loaded with goods but unable to get on the road because that garage door is too small. They need to take part of Kuwait if not all of Kuwait to reach the sea, and they need the rest of the Arabian Gulf States oil revenues to rebuild Iraq.
Iraq also wants to be able to project power in the Arabian Gulf, and for decades Iraq wants to be acknowledged and respected as the most powerful state in the area. It would like to be able to affect decisions about oil pricing and production.
Iraq-Iran Rivalry
Britain and France have for centuries regarded each other as “traditional enemies.” What about Turkey and Greece, India and Pakistan, Arabs and Israelis? I believe Iraq’s “traditional enemy” is not the Arabian Gulf States but Iran.
Reading history makes it easy to see the future, and for centuries Iraq- Iran relations used to be defined by war, and by a series of escalating conflicts fought from 609 to 1988. For approximately 1380 years, Iraq and Persia regarded each other as traditional rivals.
It started with the Battle of Thi Qar in 610 between Arabs and Persians. The Persian forces were defeated for the first time by Arabian Bedouin tribes, the tribes became Muslims and the Battle of Sallasil or the Battle of Chains was the first battle fought in April 633 between the new Muslim State Army and the Sassanid Persian Empire. The Sassanid army was one of the most powerful and best equipped armies of the time; its only weakness was in its lack of mobility, so the fast and light Bedouins on their Arabian horses defeated this great army.
On Monday February 19, 636 the Qadissiya battle started and lasted for four days. On the flat plains near the Euphrates river in modern Iraq, the Sassanian army under the command of General Rostam-e-Farokzadand the Arab army of caliph Omar under the command of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, clashed. More than 30,000 Iranians fought and died in this battle trying to defend Iran from the Muslim Arabs attempting to convert Iranians to Islam. At the end of the battle, Rostam was killed and Iran became a Muslim nation.
On 1508 Safavid occupied Baghdad and killed many Sunni Iraqis. In 1514 Safavid’s defeat at the hands of the Ottomans in the Battle of Chaldiran; lost Iraq, but during 1776-1779 Basra was occupied by Persian Karim Khan's army.
In the latter part of the 16th century, the Bani Kaab tribe from Iraq settled in Khuzestan. During the succeeding centuries, many more Arab tribes moved from southern Iraq to Khuzestan, and as a result, Khuzestan became extensively Arabized and Iraqi tribes established the Muhamara principality. In 1921, Riza Khan Pahlavi establishes a new government, with himself as war minister and Sheikh Khazal the Amir of ArabStan was assassinated and his country was taken over by Shah Riza. By the end of the same century the Iraq-Iran war of 1980-1988 left some one million people dead from both sides
Keepers of the Eastern Gate
Arabian Gulf states have no interest in being Iraq's enemy and Kuwait’s Liberation War in 1991 left devastating reasons as to why both sides should never have to fight each other again. In some ways the Arabian Gulf States are now closer to Iraq than ever, and in the balance of power between Iran and the Arabian Gulf states--- Iraq stands there.
Iraq has often been described as the bastion of Arabism. Playing down the Arab identity of Iraq after the American invasion of 2003 was viewed as a great setback to the cause of Arab unity. The pan-Arab ideology is still popular across Iraq; with an Iraqui Shi’ite government there were still spies and suspicions between Iraq and Iran. Two weeks ago the Iraqui Shi’ite government executed an Iranian spy with strong links to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Intelligence Agency.
With the new, grand Iranian religious and strategic plans for regional domination and ambitions, the Arabian Gulf States should see Iraq as the “traditional rival” and understand that the new Iraq wants to play the old role as the “Keeper of the Eastern Gate of the Arab World” against the historic enemies of Iraq---and that is: Iran. .
The plans represent a significant boost for the Iraqi government, which has worked to persuade Arabian Gulf states to reopen their embassies in Baghdad. Arabian Gulf states are the largest contributors of aid to Iraq and this step is a turning point in Iraq’s interaction with the Arabian Gulf States.
Who Needs Who?
Keeping in mind that the Arabian Gulf States will not allow Iraq to join the Gulf Cooperation Council, and not considering all or partial cancellation of Iraq's outstanding debt, the Iraqi people see their country as a garage with trucks and trailers loaded with goods but unable to get on the road because that garage door is too small. They need to take part of Kuwait if not all of Kuwait to reach the sea, and they need the rest of the Arabian Gulf States oil revenues to rebuild Iraq.
Iraq also wants to be able to project power in the Arabian Gulf, and for decades Iraq wants to be acknowledged and respected as the most powerful state in the area. It would like to be able to affect decisions about oil pricing and production.
Iraq-Iran Rivalry
Britain and France have for centuries regarded each other as “traditional enemies.” What about Turkey and Greece, India and Pakistan, Arabs and Israelis? I believe Iraq’s “traditional enemy” is not the Arabian Gulf States but Iran.
Reading history makes it easy to see the future, and for centuries Iraq- Iran relations used to be defined by war, and by a series of escalating conflicts fought from 609 to 1988. For approximately 1380 years, Iraq and Persia regarded each other as traditional rivals.
It started with the Battle of Thi Qar in 610 between Arabs and Persians. The Persian forces were defeated for the first time by Arabian Bedouin tribes, the tribes became Muslims and the Battle of Sallasil or the Battle of Chains was the first battle fought in April 633 between the new Muslim State Army and the Sassanid Persian Empire. The Sassanid army was one of the most powerful and best equipped armies of the time; its only weakness was in its lack of mobility, so the fast and light Bedouins on their Arabian horses defeated this great army.
On Monday February 19, 636 the Qadissiya battle started and lasted for four days. On the flat plains near the Euphrates river in modern Iraq, the Sassanian army under the command of General Rostam-e-Farokzadand the Arab army of caliph Omar under the command of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, clashed. More than 30,000 Iranians fought and died in this battle trying to defend Iran from the Muslim Arabs attempting to convert Iranians to Islam. At the end of the battle, Rostam was killed and Iran became a Muslim nation.
On 1508 Safavid occupied Baghdad and killed many Sunni Iraqis. In 1514 Safavid’s defeat at the hands of the Ottomans in the Battle of Chaldiran; lost Iraq, but during 1776-1779 Basra was occupied by Persian Karim Khan's army.
In the latter part of the 16th century, the Bani Kaab tribe from Iraq settled in Khuzestan. During the succeeding centuries, many more Arab tribes moved from southern Iraq to Khuzestan, and as a result, Khuzestan became extensively Arabized and Iraqi tribes established the Muhamara principality. In 1921, Riza Khan Pahlavi establishes a new government, with himself as war minister and Sheikh Khazal the Amir of ArabStan was assassinated and his country was taken over by Shah Riza. By the end of the same century the Iraq-Iran war of 1980-1988 left some one million people dead from both sides
Keepers of the Eastern Gate
Arabian Gulf states have no interest in being Iraq's enemy and Kuwait’s Liberation War in 1991 left devastating reasons as to why both sides should never have to fight each other again. In some ways the Arabian Gulf States are now closer to Iraq than ever, and in the balance of power between Iran and the Arabian Gulf states--- Iraq stands there.
Iraq has often been described as the bastion of Arabism. Playing down the Arab identity of Iraq after the American invasion of 2003 was viewed as a great setback to the cause of Arab unity. The pan-Arab ideology is still popular across Iraq; with an Iraqui Shi’ite government there were still spies and suspicions between Iraq and Iran. Two weeks ago the Iraqui Shi’ite government executed an Iranian spy with strong links to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Intelligence Agency.
With the new, grand Iranian religious and strategic plans for regional domination and ambitions, the Arabian Gulf States should see Iraq as the “traditional rival” and understand that the new Iraq wants to play the old role as the “Keeper of the Eastern Gate of the Arab World” against the historic enemies of Iraq---and that is: Iran. .
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