In the wake of the 1991 Persian Gulf war, intense discussions and debates ensued regarding American-Iraqi relations during the 1980s. Many liberals and leftists, hostile to Presidents Bush and Reagan, blamed the United States for Saddam's military buildup. In many instances of popular discourse, Iraq was referred to as an ally of the United States during much of the 1980s. The Right and the Republicans assumed a defensive position and served as apologists for the American "tilt" toward Saddam. Despite increased Iraqi trade and diplomatic relations with the United States, Saddam's regime continued to be a stalwart ally of Moscow, Beijing, Havana, and Hanoi. Iraqi foreign policy continued to be aligned against the United States and NATO interests. Furthermore, Iraq remained a premier state sponsor of international terrorism during the 1980s. Author Nevin Gussack hopes that The Great Iraqi Deception of the 1980s will help clarify the historical record regarding Saddam's continued hostility towards the United States and friendliness to the international communist movement.