Bowen: Trump has called for an Iran uprising but the lessons from Iraq in 1991 loom large

March 11, 2026

The author draws parallels between President Trump's current calls for Iranian uprising and President George H.W. Bush's 1991 speech encouraging Iraqis to overthrow Saddam Hussein, which led to deadly rebellions that the U.S. failed to support. After the first Gulf War, Iraqi Kurds and Shias heeded Bush's call but were brutally suppressed by Hussein's regime while coalition forces stood by, resulting in thousands of deaths. The author warns that the current joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, aimed at dismantling the Islamic Republic's regional power and nuclear ambitions, risks similar catastrophic consequences without a clear political strategy.

Who is affected

Iranian civilians and potential protesters responding to calls for uprising
Israeli citizens and military forces actively engaged in combat
American military personnel deployed in the Middle East
Gulf state nations (particularly Saudi Arabia) now targeted by Iran and reconsidering U.S. alliances
Kurdish and Shia populations who suffered from the 1991 failed uprising
European allies concerned about the war's conduct and legality
Hezbollah forces in Lebanon facing Israeli military action
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank facing increased Israeli annexation efforts

What action is being taken

The U.S. and Israel are conducting a joint bombing campaign designed to destroy Iran's military and nuclear capabilities
Israel is working to destroy Hezbollah in Lebanon
Iran is mounting a response to spread the war and target Gulf countries
Israel is taking steps toward annexing the occupied West Bank
Trump and Netanyahu are calling for Iranians to overthrow the Islamic Republic

Why it matters

This conflict represents a fundamental shift in Middle Eastern geopolitics, as it's the first time an American president has joined Israel in attempting to dismantle Iranian regional power, a goal that previous U.S. administrations refused to pursue. The war risks repeating catastrophic mistakes from the 2003 Iraq invasion, where removing a dictator without a coherent replacement plan led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, sectarian violence, and the rise of Islamic State. The consequences could include the collapse of carefully constructed U.S.-Gulf state alliances, the creation of power vacuums that extremist groups can exploit, regional instability, and a prolonged American military commitment that Trump explicitly promised to avoid. Additionally, the lack of UN authorization and apparent absence of a clear political strategy raises fundamental questions about international law and whether the military campaign can achieve sustainable results rather than simply creating chaos that benefits no one except perhaps extremist organizations.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC