Word: iraqi
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...coming closer," Iraq's President Saddam Hussein boasted last week, when his country will have the weapons to destroy Iran's big oil terminal at Kharg Island. He was probably exaggerating Iraqi capabilities, but his words were enough to send cold chills through Reagan Administration officials, who are still pondering how to deal with this latest and most dangerous phase of the 44-month-old war between Iran and Iraq. Saddam Hussein's fighting words also marked a resumption, after a respite of five days, of the devastating tanker war in the Persian Gulf. Twenty-four hours...
...signs that Khomeini is using the war as a means of keeping domestic discontent under control. The danger is that if his oil exports are cut off by Iraq, he will strike at the Saudi oilfields or launch still another ground offensive against Iraq. At the same time, the Iraqi government seems genuinely pleased with the results of the tanker war thus far, claiming that it has destroyed 27 vessels since Feb. 27. As the news of new attacks reached Baghdad last week, a high Iraqi official declared, "Let the Iranians lose their tempers and attack other shipping...
...past month, the Iraqis have started to make good on their threat, using five French-made Super Etendard fighter planes to fire at vessels carrying Iranian oil, including some owned by Saudi Arabia, an ally of Iraq's, and by other Arab states. Last week, for the first time, the Iranians began to retaliate by attacking Saudi and Kuwaiti tankers in the gulf. So far, half a dozen are known to have been damaged. None has yet been destroyed, though the Saudi supertanker Al Ahood has been ablaze since it was struck by Iraqi missiles two weeks...
...within Saudi coastal waters when it was hit by rockets. Again the Iranians were blamed. After a day's respite, two more ships were reported hit on Friday, this time by Iraq, and on Saturday came the sinking of the Greek-owned cargo vessel by an Iraqi missile...
...prospect, as this futile and murderous war approaches its fifth year, is for a continuation of the struggle. Having finally repulsed the Iraqi invaders with tremendous casualties on both sides, the Iranians have tarried for months without launching their long-threatened "final offensive." Iraq is desperate to end the war it started; Iran is determined to destroy Saddam Hussein at any cost; and Saudi Arabia is terrified of a possible Iranian victory. That adds up to a bad formula for peace. Thus, while insurance rates climb and world oil prices quiver, the tanker war is likely to go on. Summarizing...