Chapter 500: Middle East Layout

Although the Iran-Iraq War was mainly a conflict between Iraq and Iran, other countries were also involved. HMN's exported revolution was not only aimed at Iraq, but the entire Islamic world. Such trouble-making behavior would naturally be rejected by other countries. They had their own political power well in hand, but then a group of people came out and insisted on ruling the country according to their will and disrupting other people's political situation. This was an extremely bad behavior.

Therefore, other major Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, absolutely support Iraq's just war. They back Iraq from behind and provide a lot of financial support. Historically, if Saudi Arabia and Kuwait had not provided Iraq with low-interest or interest-free loans, Iraq would not have been able to sustain the eight-year war.

However, Iraq does not have much good feelings towards them, because historically, these oil-rich countries are also the countries that Iraq hates, because these countries have wantonly increased oil production and pushed oil prices to an extreme!

Of course, historically, the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan was intended to suppress the Soviet Union, which led these countries to start supporting Afghanistan. In order to support Afghanistan, they not only sent some fanatics to fight together, but also economically. Under the organization of the United States, these oil-rich countries continued to increase oil production and lower the world crude oil price as a weapon to fight the Soviet Union.

The Soviet Union's oil is all under the frozen soil of the plateau, and the cost of extraction is high. When the oil price dropped to $30 a barrel, the Soviet Union's oil exports were in a loss-making state. When Saudi Arabia's oil production increased from 2 million barrels per day to 6 million barrels per day, the world oil price had dropped to $12 a barrel. At this time, it was an absolute blow to the Soviet Union. The main source of foreign exchange for the Soviet Union was oil exports. Now, exporting oil is losing money. If it does not export, the domestic oil industry will be paralyzed, causing a large number of oil workers to lose their jobs. The Soviet Union lost its source of foreign exchange and could not import oil.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in history had a lot to do with the drop in oil prices.

Now, with Andrei's travel through time, Andropov took office earlier, and the Soviet Union began stable reforms. It will not focus entirely on energy exports. However, after all, for the Soviet Union, oil exports still occupy an important item.

At this time, in order to strike the Soviet Union, the United States wooed Saudi Arabia and other countries and adopted the tactic of increasing oil production and lowering prices, attempting to use oil as a weapon to crush the Soviet economy. This method greatly stimulated Iraq!

When the HMN Revolution occurred in Iran, the unrest in a major oil exporting country objectively reduced its oil exports and led to an increase in oil prices. This was good for Iraq, as higher oil prices meant that Iraq would have more sources of foreign exchange for its oil exports. With these foreign exchanges, Iraq would be able to continue to purchase more weapons!

With the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War, oil prices rose further. Saddam was laughing at the soaring oil prices, but Saudi Arabia stood up and sang a different tune.

With the support of the United States, in order to combat the Soviet Union's aggressive stance, Saudi Arabia decided to increase oil production! As the oil industries of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait started at full speed, international crude oil prices began to fall sharply. Just last month, it had fallen to $35 per barrel. When the Iran-Iraq War broke out, the price of oil was as high as $80 per barrel!

For the United States, this was an economic means to strike the Soviet Union, but for Iraq, this was blatant betrayal!

Because of the war, Iraq's oil exports have been greatly affected. At this time, it is necessary to increase oil prices to maintain the normal operation of Iraq's domestic economy. However, the decline in international oil prices has caused Iraq's income to drop sharply! Although Iraq has to rely on Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to stand behind it in the current war, Iraq's dissatisfaction with these Islamic brothers has also increased sharply. After the end of the Iran-Iraq War, this contradiction will intensify.

It would have been even easier if the Soviet Union had fanned the flames.

"Andrei, do you mean to continue to start a war in the Middle East?" Ustinov's eyes suddenly lit up when he heard Andrei's words.

"It's not that we want to start a war, but when conflicts are irreconcilable, war is the only way to solve them. Saddam still has a dream of restoring the Babylonian Empire in his heart, and he hopes to achieve the unification of the Middle East." Andre said, "We are just providing support from behind. We deeply understand such a grand goal."

"What price will we have to pay? And what benefits will we get?" Andropov asked. The Soviet Union's Middle East strategy was of great importance, and every step had to be taken well. Andropov came here with this intention, to completely determine the future pattern of the Middle East world!

"We must fully support Iraq and export more and better quality weapons to Iraq, such as our advanced MiG-29 fighters and our main battle tanks that have not been scaled down." Andre said: "After all, Iraq has many enemies to face. When Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are invaded by the Iraqi army, the United States will definitely not sit idly by. In fact, the United States will take the initiative to send troops to fight the Iraqi army in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait."

Monkey-version weapons cannot defeat the giant United States. The price the Soviet Union paid was to export more advanced weapons to Saddam!

The MiG-25, a powerful weapon, has been exported to Iraq. However, this is not enough. The Soviet Union’s most advanced and newly commissioned MiG-29 fighter jets will also be exported to Iraq!

"Iraq is facing economic difficulties right now, and it probably won't have much foreign exchange reserves to purchase our massive weaponry. So, we can sign an agreement with Iraq. When the war is over, we will have the right to exploit more than half of the oil in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait," Andre continued.

This is the most critical point! The Soviet Union wants to control the oil in the Middle East, but the Soviet Union cannot send troops directly! The United States regards the Middle East as a piece of meat. If the Soviet Union sends troops, it will directly engage in a war with the United States. The United States can make concessions on the island countries and Iran, but if it is on the issue of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the United States will never make concessions! If the United States loses the Middle East, what else will it have? High oil prices will kill the United States and the Western world!

This is a big move!