Insights from Saddam's Intelligence Chief on Gulf Support for Iraq
In a recent episode of Al Jazeera's program "Witness to the Era," former Iraqi Intelligence Director Fadhel Al-Azzawi provided a detailed account of Iraq's diplomatic maneuvers during the Iran-Iraq War. Al-Azzawi, who served under Saddam Hussein, revealed that in September 1984, he and then-Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz were dispatched to New York to negotiate with Iranian officials to end the prolonged conflict. Despite initial discussions, the negotiations reached a deadlock due to Iran's insistence on territorial claims and war reparations. Al-Azzawi noted that Iraq was willing to accept UN Resolution No. 479, advocating for peace, while Iran remained inflexible.
Al-Azzawi emphasized that Iraq did not receive any military support from the United States during the war, despite claims of American backing. He mentioned that U.S. President Ronald Reagan did initiate support for Iraq in 1982 by removing it from the list of states sponsoring terrorism and providing loans and agricultural machinery, but not weapons. In contrast, he accused then-Vice President George H.W. Bush of negotiating arms supplies to Iran, highlighting a complex web of international diplomacy during the conflict.
The Regional Dynamics of the Iran-Iraq War
The former intelligence chief also discussed the varying support from Arab nations during the war. He praised the late King Hussein of Jordan for his solidarity with Iraq, revealing that Jordanian forces actively engaged Iranian troops and that Iraq gifted King Hussein 70 British tanks as a token of appreciation. Conversely, Al-Azzawi criticized Libya's support for Iran, attributing it to the erratic leadership of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, whom he described as “not sober” in his judgment.
Al-Azzawi further explained Syria's lack of support for Iraq, attributing it to historical tensions between Saddam Hussein and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, suggesting that Syria was under an “undeclared Iranian occupation.” He concluded that while Gulf states initially provided significant support to Iraq during the war, their stance shifted dramatically following the conflict's conclusion.
