Iraqi no-fly zones conflict (1 март 1991 г. – 20 март 2003 г.)

Описание:

The Iraqi no-fly zones conflict was a low-level conflict in the two no-fly zones (NFZs) in Iraq that were proclaimed by the United States, United Kingdom, and France after the Gulf War of 1991. The United States stated that the NFZs were intended to protect the ethnic Kurdish minority in northern Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south. Iraqi aircraft were forbidden from flying inside the zones. The policy was enforced by the United States and the United Kingdom until 2003, when it was rendered obsolete by the 2003 invasion of Iraq. French aircraft patrols also participated until France withdrew in 1996.

The Iraqi government claimed 1,400 civilians were killed by Coalition bombing during the NFZ. The Kurdish-inhabited north gained effective autonomy and was protected from a feared repeat of the Anfal genocide in 1988 that killed tens of thousands of civilians. Over 280,000 sorties were flown in the first 9 years of the NFZs.

Neither the No-Fly Zones nor enforcing them with aerial bombing were authorised by the United Nations. The Secretary-General of the United Nations at the time the resolution was passed, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, called the no-fly zones "illegal" in a later interview with John Pilger.

The American, British and French governments justified the no-fly zones by invoking United Nations Security Council Resolution 688, though the resolution made no explicit reference to no-fly zones.

Role in preparation for ground invasion
From March to December 2002 the number of bombs dropped increased by 300%. This was recognised as "a clear indication that the no-fly zone is being used to destroy the country's air defence systems in anticipation of an all-out attack". Whitehall officials privately admitted to the Guardian that the no-fly zones were being used to weaken Iraq's air defence systems instead of the stated aim of defending the Marsh Arabs and the Shia population of Iraq.

The commander of the USS Abraham Lincoln's air wing said that the NFZ "makes any potential action infinitely easier ... to fly over the same territory you're going to attack is a real luxury".

The United Nations reported that in 1999 alone 144 civilians were killed during Coalition bombing raids. By 1999 over 1,800 bombs had been dropped on Iraq, while Iraq stated that 1,400 civilians died due to bombing during the NFZ.

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