Former University of Baghdad History Professor and Iraqi Diplomat visits Shorecrest
Source/Author: Kurt Wahlgren, Social Studies Department Chair
April 05, 2018
Dr. Mudahafar A. Amin, former Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations and history professor, made remarks concerning several topics on Tuesday, March 6, to Shorecrest Upper School students. When asked about difficult decisions that he had to make during his time in the public sector in Iraq, Dr. Amin noted that he lobbied against Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. He later illustrated the bloated size of the Iraqi army being a catalyst for the invasion of their neighbor to the south. According to Dr. Amin, Iraq had about 5 divisions prior to the Iran/Iraq War, and after there were upwards of 55 divisions. Furthermore, Saddam Hussein had made outlandish promises of a move toward liberal democracy, and generous pensions to war veterans. The invasion of Kuwait, and subsequent Persian Gulf War, were a partial diversion from domestic issues.
In AP Comparative Government, students completed a study of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. While some of that focus is on Ayatollah Khomeini’s exile in Najaf, Iraq, Dr. Amin brought up an interesting story relating to the Shah’s wife, Farah Pahlavi, that details a back-channel exchange. In 1978, Farah Pahlavi wanted to visit Najaf, the holiest city in Shiite Islam. At the time, Saddam Hussein was Vice President, and aware of her request to expel Khomeini from the city. While Iraq and Vice President Hussein did not oblige, Dr. Amin told the details of the phone negotiations to the class.
Cooper Lanigan ’19 remarked about the discussion: “I found Dr. Amin's input and perspective on the Iran/Iraq War very interesting. It was really fascinating to have someone in our classroom who was so closely involved with everything we are learning about in AP Comparative Government.”
This is the second time that Dr. Amin visited our AP Comparative Government class and we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to him.
