| ID | 163899 |
| Title Proper | Syria vs. Iraq |
| Other Title Information | Clash of authoritarians |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Rasheed, Amjed |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | No two other Arab countries match their consistent level of rivalry and hostility. Enmity has always been a constant feature of Syrian‐Iraqi relations — and it only partially ended with the demise of the Baath regime in Baghdad following the 2003 war. This article investigates the Iran‐Iraq War period (1980–88) and analyzes the factors that determined the conflict between Syria and Iraq. The war occurred when their hostility was at its peak, following the collapse of unity negotiations in 1979. From the early stages of the war, it was clear that Syria was backing Iran against its fellow Arab country. This hostility was interspersed by brief periods when Iraq attempted — ultimately unsuccessfully — to achieve rapprochement with Syria. As the war was ending in 1988, Iraq, in revenge, supported the anti‐Syrian Lebanese factions for no strategic purpose, just to irritate Syria. |
| `In' analytical Note | Middle East Policy Vol. 25, No.4; Winter 2018: p.116-129 |
| Journal Source | Middle East Policy Vol: 25 No 4 |
| Key Words | Syria vs. Iraq ; Clash of Authoritarians |