What role, if any, did Reagan play in Saddam Hussein obtaining the power and military weapons that he did?

10 Responses

1. iraqisax

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   Off hand, I can’t remember what part the Gipper played in the Saddam/Iraq deal, but I will say this. Ron Paul is known for bringing up the concept of "blowback". He often speaks about the CIAs actions of removing Mohamed Mossadeq, the democratically elected leader of Iran in 1953. Mossadeq was going to nationalize Iran’s oil, and in order to guarantee British oil interests, Mossadeq was replaced with the Shah, who was friendly to Western interests.

   Now a quarter of a century later, Jiminy Carter is president. The Shah is overthrown and a radical Islamic Republic comes to power in Iran. They seize hostages from the US Embassy. As soon as the Gipper is President, the hostages are released.

   Next, Iraq invades Iran. The Administration arms Iraq with weapons, including poison gas, which Saddam uses on Iran. If you were an Iranian, how would you feel about the US?

   Because of the machinations of our politicians, we continue to make enemies around the world. I know that this really doesn’t answer your question, but I felt that I had to add this information.

2. .

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   all of it

3. Lib Basher

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   none whatsoever

4. Albert's America Blog

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   Saddam’s weapons, like the BMP-1 or the T-40 Tank are Soviet Built Weapons… Ak-47s are Soviet Built… I don’t understand how Reagan is to "blame"…

   RPGs are Soviet Built, SCUDs are Soviet Built…

5. Boss H

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   Reagan’s state department authorized the microbes that could be weaponized sent from the ATCC in Illinois to Dr. Germ in Iraq.
   the so-called "dual purpose" farm chemicals that he had, and the planes he was using to spray them on Iranians, were sold to him by the Reagan admin.

   Reagan armed just about everyone we are fighting now.

   just one more Reagan policy that made things worse for Americans.

   As far as him and the Taliban getting their hands on soviet weapons, after the USSR collapsed, the stuff was lying around for anyone to sell to them.

6. Bethy

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   Im uncertain to the role that Reagan played in arming or not arming Saddam but considering that it was 20 years ago things do change.

   What would happen if you adopted someone and then 20 years later they went on a killing spree

   are you to blame?

   Time changes situations

   Hind site is 20-20

7. Yak Rider

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   Saddam’s power? None. He came to power in the 70′s when Jimmy Carter was president.

   Weapons? None. Saddam’s armed forces used 100% Soviet equipment.

   The canard that the US supplied Saddam with biological and chemical weapons still lives on the Internet. It’s frequently spread by the same people who will swear that he never had them when the subject is the Bush (41) administration.

8. jmack

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   In 1976, Saddam rose to the position of general in the Iraqi armed forces, and rapidly became the strongman of the government. As the ailing, elderly al-Bakr became unable to execute his duties, Saddam took on an increasingly prominent role as the face of the government both internally and externally. He soon became the architect of Iraq’s foreign policy and represented the nation in all diplomatic situations. He was the de facto leader of Iraq some years before he formally came to power in 1979.

   Reagan was in office January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989.

   So may be Carter is the one you are thinking about.

9. joejack

   January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

   I’m pretty sure it was all soviet and french

10. jeeper_peeper321

    January 10th, 2010 at 6:50 am

    None at all.

    Saddam became president while Jimmy Carter was president in July 1979.

    The source of iraq’s weapons according to the stockholm international peace research institute

    from 1973 to 2002 russia sold iraq 57% of its weapons, france sold 13% , china sold 12% , czechoslovakia sold 7%, poland sold 4%, brazil sold 2%, egypt sold 1%, romania sold 1%, denmark sold 1%

    The US sold Iraq 13 civilian helicopters.

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