This is another place where my timeline varies from the Cannon. In my world, Russia never received the economic stimulus that the West gave them in reality. This means that we had NO INFLUENCE on Russian policy.
As a result, a desperate Russia needed resources and money to stave off an imminent collapse and the US gave them someone who could help. Iraq needed to rearm after the 91' Gulf War. UN sanctions would have made this impossible but for Russia's desperation. Russia sold Iraq T-54Ms and T62Ms with both "bra armor" and Kontakt 1 reactive armor, laser range finders, laser guided munitions, Gen 2 passive NV, and automotive upgrades for their regular army. They gave the Republican Guard units T64BMs with upgraded Kontakt 1 reactive armor, Gen 2 passive NV, and automotive upgrades. they also upgraded Iraq's T72s to T72Ms as well as giving them "upgraded" T72Ms from Russia's own stock. This gave Iraq an new tank force of 5000 T54Ms, 1000 T62M "command tanks," 2000 T72Ms and 3000 T64BMs for the Republican Guard. They also sold Iraq huge quantities of towed artillery and Sprut B 125mm AT guns, older wire guided AT missiles and huge numbers of AA guns.
At the same time, Russia began supplying Iran with military technology in the face of ever hardening UN sanctions against BOTH powers. All of these military sales allowed Russia to not only stave off collapse but also to upgrade her own military to better T80M and T90M tanks, newer self-propelled artillery and AT Missiles, as well as other newer equipment for the troops.
This would force the US to have a large CENTCOM force to counter any moves by now "pro-Russian" Iraq or Iran. In my timeline, that occurs in 1998. As a result, there is just as big a war in The Gulf as there is in Europe.
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