1 9 9 0 s ▁had ▁several ▁consequences ▁for ▁the ▁Middle ▁East . ▁It ▁allowed ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁Soviet ▁Jews ▁to ▁em igr ate ▁from ▁Russia ▁and ▁Ukraine ▁to ▁Israel , ▁further ▁strength ening ▁the ▁Jewish ▁state . ▁It ▁cut ▁off ▁the ▁easiest ▁source ▁of ▁credit , ▁arm aments , ▁and ▁diplom atic ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁anti - western ▁Arab ▁reg imes , ▁weak ening ▁their ▁position . ▁It ▁opened ▁up ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁cheap ▁oil ▁from ▁Russia , ▁driving ▁down ▁the ▁price ▁of ▁oil ▁and ▁reducing ▁the ▁west ' s ▁dependence ▁on ▁oil ▁from ▁the ▁Arab ▁states . ▁It ▁dis cred ited ▁the ▁model ▁of ▁development ▁through ▁author itar ian ▁state ▁social ism , ▁which ▁Egypt ▁( under ▁N asser ), ▁Al ger ia , ▁Sy ria , ▁and ▁Ira q ▁had ▁followed ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁leaving ▁these ▁reg imes ▁polit ically ▁and ▁econom ically ▁str and ed . ▁R ul ers ▁such ▁as ▁Ira q ' s ▁S add am ▁Hus sein ▁increasing ly ▁re lied ▁on ▁Arab ▁national ism ▁as ▁a ▁substitute ▁for ▁social ism . ▁ ▁S add am ▁Hus sein ▁led ▁Ira q ▁into ▁a ▁prolong ed ▁and ▁cost ly ▁war ▁with ▁Iran ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁and ▁then ▁into ▁its ▁f ateful ▁invasion ▁of ▁K uw ait ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁K uw ait ▁had ▁been ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁province ▁of ▁Bas ra ▁before ▁ 1 9