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300 lines
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Plaintext
300 lines
12 KiB
Plaintext
What follows is a short history lesson about the peoples and
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countries of the mid-east. The present conflict did not start in
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August of 1990 but rather began about 4000 years ago. In addition to
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territory claims by the different people in the area this conflict also
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is spiritual. Three major religious systems are clashing, they are
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Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
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The mid-east is the center of Islam, or Moslem people, the western
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people come from a Christian heritage, and of course Israel is a
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predominately Jewish nation. These differences have lead to mistrust
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and actual hatred between people in the past that continues to some
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extent today.
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During the last 4000 years many different people and nations have
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called the same lands home. Many of the present boundaries were not
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drawn up until after World War I, and in some cases after World War
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II.
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Some of the problems that now exist are because outside powers
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imposed borders and created countries without fully understanding the
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area. This is not just limited to this immediate area, but also
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includes for instance West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan
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(now Bangladesh). We tend to think that we can group people together
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just because they are the same color or religion. The people of the
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mid-east are just as diverse as we are. We have problems getting along
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with each other as well.
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I do not claim to be an expert in this area, but thought that I
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could share some information from a different perspective than seen on
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the evening news. The goal of this article is to help us understand
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the situation in an historical context and help us to pray
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effectively. I am a Christian. I believe that we need God's wisdom
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and patience to bring lasting peace to the area. I am not making a
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judgment on our need to be there, or the actions we need to take.
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A Middle Eastern Time Line
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Note: Early dates are approximate
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The flood occurs, Noah's
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Ark runs aground in what is now
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Turkey.
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Gen 9:22-27 Ham cursed for
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shaming his father Noah. Ham's
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descendants are the Canaanites
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who later intermarry w
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Ishmeal's
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descendants to become the Arab
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peoples.
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Genesis 10:10 Nimrod, Noah's
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son, founds Babylon.
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>2700 BC The tower of Babel built in
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what is now Iraq. Ruin is
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between the present cities of
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Baghdad and Bazra.
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2150 BC Abraham born
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Abraham leaves Ur which is
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south east of Babylon by
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about 150 mi. to go to Caanan
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2080 BC Abraham enters Canaan Abraham is promised the land
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of Canaan by God as his
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inheritance in Gen 12:7.
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Famine forces Abraham to flee
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to Egypt. Has run in with
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Pharaoh over wife. Diseases
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sent by the Lord. Gen 12:10-20
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Area City states in constant
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state of war. Alliances change
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every few years. Abraham
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rescues his relative, Lot, from
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the fighting.
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Abraham in a bid to take
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matters into his own hands has
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son Ishmael by Egyptian
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maidservant Hagar. Sarai
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Abraham's wife mistreates both.
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Ishmael receives blessing from
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God that his descendants will
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be to numerous to count.
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Descendants are the Arabs.
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1880 BC Jacobs family enters Egypt
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because of famine. In the beginning Jacob's family
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enjoys the best of the land
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because of God's blessing of
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Egypt through Jacob. In time
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later rulers forget this.
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1450 BC The Exodus of Israel from Israel moves out of Egypt to
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Egypt. posses their promised land.
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This of course was not good
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news to the people living there
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at the time. Israel almost
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immediately attacked by the
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Amalekites who are defeated
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with God's help.
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1400 BC The conquest of Canaan by
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Israel begins.
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980 BC Solomon begins his reign, Under Solomon the nation grows
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After several years he in size, power, and wealth.
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starts the temple building Territory extended to tip of
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gulf of Agaba, north to beyond
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Damascus. The area governed is
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now Israel and Jordan, and part
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of Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon.
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900 BC Damascus rises to power
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825 BC Hazael of Syria oppresses
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Israel.
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730 BC The fall of Damascus
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625 BC The rise of Babylon
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600 BC Assyria collapses
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580 BC Kingdom of Judah falls
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to Nebuchadnezzar
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540 BC Babylon falls to Cyrus
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Egypt falls under control of
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Persians. Independent nation
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of Israel ceases to exist.
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485 BC The Persians are defeated
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by the Greeks.
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Nehemmiah allowed to rebuild
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Jerusalem.
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325 BC Alexander the Great de-
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feats Darius III.
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50 BC The Romans take Palestine
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Roman rule of area during this
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time enabled new ideas, and
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0 Christ is born trade to flourish. Had much to
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do with enabling rapid spread
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of Christianity.
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33 AD Christ crucified
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500s Roman empire in decline
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570 Mohammed is born in Mecca Islam which means "submission
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to Allah" is based on the
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revelations of Mohammed. He
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did not read or write, his
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ideas were recorded by his
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followers who had committed
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them to memory.
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600s Arabs overrun area
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Baghdad is made the capital
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in 762.
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1258 Mongols devastate country
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1401 Mongols again conquer area
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1534 Ottoman Turks capture Ottoman Turks capture Egypt
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Baghdad, stayed under Turkish
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control till WW I. Kuwait founded by Arab nomads
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1798 Napoleon invades Egypt
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British protect Kuwait from a
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holy war from another Muslim
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sect.
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1869 Suez canal completed by French
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Later purchased by British
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Egypt revolts, Britain sends
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1897 Kuwait becomes a British forces to protect interests and
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protectorate remains in control till 1922
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1918 Britain and the sharif of Country of Trans-Jordan formed
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Mecca gain control and Iraq by Britain from Biblical lands
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is formed as a country of Ammon, Bashan, Edom, and
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Moab.
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1919 Saudi Arabia invades Kuwait
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British repel Saudis, who
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blockade country for 20 yrs.
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1920 League of Nations made Iraq Islam first brought to US.
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a territory under British
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administration
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1932 League of Nations mandate
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ends, Iraq gains independence
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Jordan receives independence.
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1947 UN creates two nations from First Arab Israeli war.
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Palestine, one Jewish, and
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one Arabic. On the same day
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that British withdraw Arab
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countries attack.
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1952 Iraq renews ancient claim to
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Kuwait. Rejected by British.
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1955 Pro western Iraqi president
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Nuri es-Said joins Turkey,
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Iran, Pakistan, and Britain Second Arab-Israeli war
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in opposition of Egypt in
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"Baghdad Pact".
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1958 Gen. Kassem overthrows govt.
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Later withdraws Iraq from pact.
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1961 Kuwait becomes independent
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1963 Military coup overthrows
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Kassem. Arab Baath Party
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gains control. Abdul Salem
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Arif as president.
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1966 Abdul Salem Arif dies in
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Helicopter crash, succeeded Third Arab-Israeli war
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by his brother.
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1968 Bloodless coup installes
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former premier Ahmed Hassan
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al-Bakr as president.
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1969 Kuwait and Saudi Arabia agree
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on a boundary in the disputed
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area from 1919.
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1973 Iraq joins war against Forth Arab-Israeli war
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Israel
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1973 Iraq invades Kuwait, withdraws
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after Saudi Arabia sends 15000
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Troops to aid Kuwait.
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1975 Iran agrees to stop providing
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arms to rebelling Kurdish
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minority in Iraq.
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1976 Iraq and Syria at odds over
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Syria's intervention in
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Lebanon.
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1977 UN states that Iraq is sys-
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tematically destroying
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Kurdish minority.
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1978 Iraq plans to spend $36 mil
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to restore ancient city of
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Babylon, about 55 mi south
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of Baghdad.
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1979 Gen Saddam Hussein becomes
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president, Bakr resigns due
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to illness.
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1980 Iraq and Iran begin open war Israel moves capitol to
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after skermishing for 10 Jerusalem which is supposed to
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months. Iraq has early be a shared city.
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Success.
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Israel bombs Iraqi reactor
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1982 Iraq has been pushed back to
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pre-war boundary.
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1984 War expands into gulf area
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Shipping threatened.
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1987 USS Stark hit by missile from
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Iraqi plane. 37 sailors die,
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Iraq apologises for mistaken.
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launch of missile.
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1988 Iran and Iraq begin cease
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fire.
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1990 Iraq invades Kuwait in dis- An oil field extends across
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pute over oil field and the Kuwait-Iraq border with
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shipping access to gulf. both countries pumping from
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it. Iraq has been demanding
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that Kuwait decrease production
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to help increase oil price.
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1991 UN forces attack Iraq
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17 hours after UN deadline
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for Iraqi withdrawal from
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Kuwait expires.
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Compiled by Herb Guenther from NIV Holy Bible, 1980 Reader's Digest
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Almanac, The World Almanac and Book of Facts - 1988, and other
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sources.
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