Many Iraqi officers studied in Russian military institutions.
Kvashin categorically refuted statements that defeat of Iraq allegedly armed with outdated Soviet armaments meant defeat of the Russian military science.
The chief of the General Staff stated that "behavior of officers of the Iraqi army at battlefields never resembled even remotely actions of the Soviet Army during defense of Moscow, Stalingrad and Leningrad. Reared and fat Hussein's guards betrayed him." Kvashnin stressed that "in order to fight according to Russian military science standards a person should possess moral strength, high moral and psychological spirit similar to what Russian 18-19 year old boys demonstrate while fighting terrorism in Chechnya." Kvashnin mentioned that "recent wars in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq proved particular significance of indivisibility of commanders and their troops, integrity of commanders and subordinates."
