User:Hcberkowitz/Sandbox-PRC support for Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war

From 1983 to 1989, Baghdad received over $5 billion worth of arms from China,19 including an array of conventional systems ranging from tanks to fighter aircraft. Despite their limited sophistication, Chinese weapons proved relatively easy for the poorly trained Iraqi forces to use. Beijing has adhered to the 1990 UN sanctions on Iraq, but arms sales may well resume if sanctions are lifted. If sanctions end, China will almost certainly seek to increase cooperation with Baghdad regarding oil and may renew military cooperation in return.20 A top priority under Saddam or any likely successor government will be to rebuild Iraq’s military. Moreover, Iraq may not trust the few Western states, such as France, that are likely to sell it arms. Like Iran, Iraq also seeks to produce its own weapons systems and thus will welcome Chinese transfers of knowledge and production assistance. As a result, China—along with Russia—could be faced with a wealthy customer eager to make major purchases. Such sales would pose a threat to U.S. interests, as Iraq remains unremittingly hostile to U.S. allies in the region and is pursuing NBC programs. Relations with Iraq follow the same logic as relations with Iran. Iraq’s immense oil reserves—by some estimates 10 percent of the world’s total known assets—increase its attractiveness to Beijing. Just as China has sought good relations with Iran because of its oil assets, so too will it seek close, or at least cordial, relations with Baghdad, if possible. Iraq’s hostility toward the West also has some strategic benefit.