انهار الاتحاد السوفياتي، و انهزمت العراق و نشأت بيئة جديدة في المنطقة أحسّ كلا البلدين فيها بالأمان، لكن كان هناك خطر محدّق من جهة اليسار.
The Soviet Union collapsed, Iraq was defeated, and a new environment was created in the region in which both of them felt more secure, but they were also now left unchecked.