Topics
The Iran-Iraq War, Apartheid and the South African Border Conflict, and The Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan
Committee Type
Historical
Committee Size
Small
Committee Description
Historical Security Council is a specialized committee that provides delegates the opportunity to reexamine global security issues from the past and represent their countries as their positions were in that time period. These decisions influence the context of world politics for years to come, and thus puts historical discussion in a unique light. Issues span global affairs during a singular time period, and encourage delegates to work together to find solutions that best address the historical situation at the time. Historical Security Council promises a tight-knit community, unique and thorough discussion, and a fostered love for how history leads us to today.
Topic Intros
Apartheid and the South African Border Conflict
The current conflict is rooted in the rise of the National Party in South Africa in the year 1948, which institutionalized Apartheid, a system of legal racial segregation and White minority rule. Following the decolonization of neighboring Portuguese territories in 1975, South Africa found itself surrounded by newly independent Socialist-leaning states, leading to the start of the South African Border War.
The Iran-Iraq War
The conflict between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Ba’athist Iraq, which began in 1980, has evolved into one of the most severe and bloody wars of the 20th century. What started as a border dispute over the Shatt al-Arab waterway has expanded into a total war involving trench warfare and aerial bombardments of civilian areas. Both nations have suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties, and the stability of the entire Persian Gulf, one of the world’s most important waterways, is now at risk.
The Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan
As of 1988, the conflict has reached a historic and uncertain turning point following the signing of the UN-sponsored Geneva Accords in April. The Soviets have officially begun the withdrawal of their 115,000 troops, a process scheduled to be completed by February 1989. However, the withdrawal has not brought a cessation of violence; instead it has created a dangerous power vacuum as the current government, now led by Mohammad Najibullah, struggles to maintain control without the direct protection of Soviet armor. The mujahideen, who were not a party to the Geneva Accords, have refused to stop fighting, viewing the Soviet retreat as the final phase of their “liberation war.”
