Avery Brothers Times American Policy Studies On Iraq (1963-1968)

In November 1963, Iraq and U.S underwent respective political changes. On November 18, Iraqi President Salam Aref launched a coup and overthrew the Baathist government. On November 22, the U.S. President Kennedy was assassinated and the vice president Johnson succeeded him. On July 17 1968, about half a year before Johnson left the White House, the Aref Regime was overthrown. So the period of Arefs’ Regime coincided with Johnson administration roughly. This coincidence is unusual in history of international relations. But more important is moderation of Arefs’ Regime on its foreign policy in view of its nationalism rooted from a violent revolution. It is a sharp contrast with Qassim Regime and Baathist Government. But after Six-Day War, Iraq turned to radicalism again. Because of Iraqi change and the difficult position that U.S. faced, Johnson administration’s changed attitude towards Iraq and neglect of Iraq reflected some substantive issues in Middle East Policy of U.S. in the early stage of the cold war. The U.S.-Iraqi relations in this period caused little attention of academic circles abroad and domestic. This dissertation attempts to dwell on U.S. government’s policy toward Iraq through the U.S. declassified archival sources.This dissertation is composed of introduction,3 chapters and conclusion.The introduction included the significance of this article, research status and its method and innovation.The first chapter introduces the background of Johnson administration’s policy toward Iraq in Arefs’ period. As to U.S., "counter-revolution tradition" hating radical revolutions made Johnson administration’s deferent attitudes toward deferent states. And Vietnam War restricted Johnson administration’s energy on the Middle East seriously. As to Iraq, after 14 July Revolution, it not only became a radical state, but also the most serious state of "communist threat" because of its pro-Soviet policy. Although the relation between Qassim Regime and U.S. relaxed for a time, the relation between Oassim Regime and USSR and Iraqi Communist Party chilled for a time, independence of Kuwait made Iraq back toward a pro-Soviet and radical way. After Qassim was overthrown, the relation between U.S. and Iraq ruled by Baathist government improved obviously. But due to its inherent nationalist radicalism and complex struggles among Arab nationalist, Jordan was threatened by Baathist government. So Baathist government caused America’s alarm. But after one month, Baathist were cleaned out by President Salam Aref. Aref Regime continued a friendly attitude toward U.S. and was more moderate that Baathist. Thus, a short friendship began.The second chapter discusses U.S. policy toward Iraq before Six-Day War. Due to Arefs’moderation, particularly Rahman Aref who succeed as President in April 1966, Johnson administration took a approved attitude toward Iraq in view of "regional stability". Meanwhile, a temporary solution to Kurd Problem in Iraq and Iran-Iraq detente had a very positive effect on improvement of U.S-Iraq relations. In addition, on Kurd Problem and Iran-Iraq relations, U.S. tended to Iraq relatively. But except for petroleum companies, U.S. presence in Iraq was very weak. Thus, Iraq lacked its dependence on U.S. Coupled with Arefs’ Regime’s inherent anti-West mark rooted from a violent revolution and pro-Egypt (U.A.R.) foreign policy, U.S.-Iraqi relations which lacked dynamic was vulnerable to a potential crisis under a growing serious Arab-Israeli dispute.The third chapter discusses U.S. policy toward Iraq from eve of Six-Day War to Arefs Regime’s end. Since eve of Six-Day War, there had been a serious divergence on Egypt-Israeli confrontation between U.S. and Iraq. After outbreak of war, Iraq and several other Arab states severed their diplomatic relations with U.S. Because of Iraq’s radicalism-oriented change and Johnson administration’s inflexible attitude toward resumption, U.S. attitude toward Iraq changed. On the one hand, U.S. attitude toward Iraq’s ask for resumption was not too positive. On the other hand, some people in U.S. government lacked interests in this regime and even expected Iraqi political change because moderates headed by Rahman Aref declined.Conclusion summarizes some substantial issues reflected by U.S. policy toward Iraq in Arefs’ period, that is interests demand emphasizing "stability" and disorder of its Middle East policy.