A doctoral dissertation in the Department of History at the College of Arts, University of Basrah, examined “The U.S. Press’s Interest in the Events of the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988).”

The dissertation, submitted by researcher Ali Turki Sakhi, consisted of four chapters:

       1.    The stance of the U.S. press on the outbreak of the Iran–Iraq War (22 September 1980 – 10 June 1982).

       2.    The U.S. press’s interest in the events of the Iran–Iraq War and its repercussions (11 June 1982 – 31 December 1984).

       3.    The U.S. press’s position on developments in the war, the general conditions in both countries, and the Arab and international stance toward them (1 January 1985 – 21 March 1987).

       4.    U.S. press coverage of the final stage of the Iran–Iraq War (22 March 1987 – 8 August 1988).

The study aimed to shed light on the events of the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988) as covered by major U.S. newspapers, which highlighted all aspects of the war in their articles, including military operations between the two armies and the internal conditions of both countries. The dissertation concluded that the war had a significant impact on both countries in terms of human and economic losses and the stagnation of growth. It recommended that the war ended without either side achieving the gains it had sought during the conflict: Iraq was unable to control the territories it claimed from Iran, while Iran failed to overthrow the Iraqi regime, which had been one of its main demands for ending the war.