From: anwar+@cs.cmu.edu (Anwar Mohammed)
Subject: Whatever happened to ... Iraq? Redux
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 15:14:26 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.202536.26994@athena.mit.edu> anders@athena.mit.edu (Anders W Hove) writes:
>In article <27672@life.ai.mit.edu>, elwin@ai.mit.edu (Lee Campbell) writes:
>|> 
>|>    What did our ambassador to Iraq say to Saddam Hussein just before
>|> he invaded Kuwait?  Ross Perot claimed the ambassador gave Iraq
>|> permission to take over some oil fields, and then we were surprised
>|> when he took the whole country.  Is this true?  Did we blunder?  Who
>|> instructed the ambassador?  Why weren't Perot's allegations checked?
>|> 
>|>    Naahhh... "family values" are much more important, aren't they?
>|> 
>|> 						- Lee Campbell
> 
>
>    Ross Perot was refering to the conversation held between a State Dept
>official named April Glaspie and Saddam Hussein a few days before the latter
>invaded Kuwait.  Glaspie was an Arabist who was of the opinion that we were
>really making progress with the Iraqi regime (in terms of the cause of
>democracy). Because she feared that irking Saddam would endanger the
>establishment of a joint Iraq/US "interpretive center" in Baghdad, she thought it
>would be better to be nice to him.  She received permission to inform S. Hussein
>that the US "[had] no official position on Iraq's border dispute with Kuwait". 
>Apparently, Saddam took this as official permission from Bush to invade Kuwait. 
>A few days later, Iraqi tanks reached the Saudi border.

I want to reinforce that this is pure nonsense that no one, even the Iraqis,
believes.  In addition to the earlier references involving the U.S. military
response prior to the invasion of Kuwait, I've included an oft forgotten
reference regarding the Glaspie affair.  The following is a chronology based 
on newspaper articles at the time:

Spring 1990  Iraq beligerently complains about conspiracies by parties
             in the Gulf. 

July 1990    Iraq names names: Kuwait and U.A.E. are conspiring against
             Iraq, Kuwait is "stealing" Iraq's oil.

July 24      Iraq masses 30-50 thousand troops on the border.  U.S. moves
             naval forces into the gulf and suddenly conducts military 
             exercises with the U.A.E., for the *world* to see.

July 25      April Glaspie meets with Saddam Hussein. Tariq Aziz,
             ex-Foreign Minister (at the time) and current deputy Prime
             Minister later says unequivocally that Glaspie did not give Saddam
             Hussein a green light to invade (see below). 

July 25-26   President Mubarak of Egypt embarks on shuttle diplomacy to solve
             the problem. 

July 26      Kuwait and Iraq agree to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss differences
             on August 1. 

July 27      The U.S. begins publicized review of its policy toward Iraq in 
             light of its aggressions and attempts at hegemony.

August 1     Iraq and Kuwait meet in Saudi Arabia, and "embrace warmly".  Later,
             Iraq abruptly storms out of the meeting.  A few hours later.... 

August 2     Iraq invades Kuwait

May 31, 1991  After the war is over and gone, Iraq's erstwhile Foreign Minister
              and current Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz finally puts to rest the 
              Glaspie controversy by saying that "Saddam Hussein did not believe that 
              US Ambassador April Glaspie gave him a green light to seize Kuwait and
              expected a severe American reaction." **

August 2-present   Leftists, third-world conspiracy theorists, Democratic 
                   presidential candidates and some of their supporters claim 
                   that either the U.S. gave permission or planned it all
                   along, confounding most reasonable people.

Here are the references:

Title        GLASPIE Didn't Give Green Light, Iraqi Says
Source       Boston Globe,  May 31, 1991,  12:4
Abstract     Iraqi President Saddam Hussein did not believe that US Ambassador April GLASPIE 
             gave him the green light to seize Kuwait and expected a severe American reaction,
             according to Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.
Subjects     Diplomatic & consular services; Persian Gulf crisis; Military occupations


Author       Healy, Melissa; Williams, Nick B Jr
Title        MUBARAK Acts to Defuse Crisis in Persian Gulf
Source       Los Angeles Times,  Jul 25, 1990,  A, 1:2
Features     Photograph
Abstract     Egyptian President Hosni MUBARAK plunged into emergency diplomacy on Jul 24, 
             1990 to bridge the rift between IRAQ and KUWAIT, as the Pentagon announced 
             "short notice" naval maneuvers for US warships in the Persian Gulf.
Subjects     Military exercises; International relations


Author       Murphy, Caryle
Title        MUBARAK Says IRAQ, KUWAIT Will Begin Talks This Weekend
Source       Washington Post,  Jul 26, 1990,  A, 34:5
Abstract     IRAQ and KUWAIT are to begin direct talks in Saudi Arabia in an attempt to 
             settle their differences over boundaries and oil prices, according to Egyptian 
             President Hosni MUBARAK.
Subjects     Peace negotiations; International relations; Petroleum industry


Author       Murphy, Caryle
Title        MUBARAK Tries to Ease Crisis in Gulf
Source       Washington Post,  Jul 25, 1990,  A, 1:3
Features     Map
Abstract     Egyptian President Hosni MUBARAK, signaling increased Arab concern over the 
             massing of Iraqi troops near KUWAIT's border, made a surprise visit to both 
             states in an effort to bolster Arab mediation attempts.
Subjects     International relations; Armed forces; Presidents; Arabs
PersonalName MUBARAK, Hosni
ISSN         0190-8286
Place Names  IRAQ; KUWAIT; Egypt
Article Type News
Length       Long (18+ col inches)


Title        World-Wide:  KUWAIT
Source       Wall Street Journal,  Aug 1, 1990,  A, 1:3
Abstract     Kuwaiti and Iraqi NEGOTIATORS began talks in Saudi Arabia on their oil and 
             border dispute, while Persian Gulf-based diplomats said IRAQ had massed 100,000 
             troops on KUWAIT's border.
Subjects     International relations


Title        KUWAIT and IRAQ Reportedly Talk Oil and Borders
Source       Boston Globe,  Aug 1, 1990,  6:1
Abstract     Kuwaiti and Iraqi NEGOTIATORS embraced warmly as they began talks on their oil 
             and border dispute.
Subjects     Territorial issues; International relations; Prices; Petroleum production



Author       Cowell, Alan
Title        Sluggish Iran-IRAQ Talks Worry KUWAIT
Source       New York Times,  Mar 25, 1989,  A, 3:4
Features     Map
Abstract     KUWAIT officials are worried about the sluggishness of Iran-IRAQ peace talks.  
             Fears that hostilities might resume unless progress is made soon are discussed.
Subjects     Peace NEGOTIATIONS; International relations


Title        To Avoid Crisis, America Must Stand Up to Iraqi Blackmail
Source       Atlanta Journal,  Jul 31, 1990,  A, 8:1
Abstract     An editorial states that the agreement by Kuwait and the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES to 
             reduce oil production to avert a military assault by Iraq may actually escalate 
             a crisis situation by sending Iraq's Saddam Hussein the message that he can set 
             oil prices with military threats.
Subjects     Editorials; Petroleum production



Author       Gordon, Michael R
Title        U.S. Deploys Air and Sea Forces after Iraq Threatens 2 Neighbors
Source       New York Times,  Jul 25, 1990,  A, 1:1
Features     Map
Abstract     The US sent two aerial refueling planes to the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES and deployed 
             combat ships into the Persian Gulf after threats of military force by Iraq 
             against the EMIRATES and Kuwait.
Subjects     International relations; Armed forces


Author       Shenon, Philip
Title        U.S. Weighs Sanctions on Iraq over Baghdad's Oil-Dispute Tactics
Source       New York Times,  Jul 27, 1990,  A, 2:1
Abstract     The US has started a wide-ranging review of foreign policy toward Iraq and will 
             consider new economic sanctions and export controls as a result of Iraq's 
             threats against its neighbors, Kuwait and the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.  There is 
             also concern over Iraqi efforts to develop chemical weapons.
Subjects     Biological & chemical weapons; Foreign policy; International relations-US; 
             Sanctions; International trade






>July, 1990 / "Iraq accuses tiny Kuwait of stealing oil" A.P.:
>
>	"Iraq warned fellow OPEC members yesterday it viewed
>	violations of the cartel's production quotas as virtual
>	acts of war, and accused tiny Kuwait of stealing its oil
>	for the past decade." ... "Kuwait, which was one of Iraq's
>	staunchest allies in that war, called an emergency legislative
>	session to discuss the Iraqi accusations, and quickly began
>	a diplomatic offensive to counter them.  Iraq and Kuwait have
>	long disagreed over their border." ... "Iraq's foreign minister
>	renewed Iraqi accusations of over-production by Kuwait and the
>	United Arab Emirates and said such actions were tantamount to
>	'military aggression against Iraq'."  ...  "On Tuesday, Saddam
>	threatened to retaliate against Kuwait and the UAE with force
>	if necessary for quota violations.  Iraq has a 1 million man
>	army.  Kuwait, with a population of only 1.7 million, has an
>	armed forces strength of 20,300."
>
>July 25, 1990 / "Iraq masses soldiers on border with Kuwait" A.P.:
>
>	"Iraq accused neighboring Kuwait yesterday of conspiring to
>	harm its economy of conspiring to harm its economy and massed
>	tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of tanks on the
>	border.  Informed sources in Kuwait said the Iraqi troop
>	buildup had increased over the last 48 hours to at least 30,000,
>	and that more than 200 Soviet-made tanks were posted along Iraq's
>	100-mile-long southern border with Kuwait.  The area of the troop
>	buildup is rich in oil reserves, and has been a source of
>	contention since Kuwait gained its independence from Britain in
>	1961.  The border demarcation has never been agreed on by Iraq,
>	and a portion of it crosses the Rumaila oil field.  The same
>	sources said Kuwait yesterday reinstated its state of alert,
>	declared July 16 and canceled after three days of tension between
>	the two oil-producing countries."  ... "The U.S. Defense Department,
>	meanwhile, announced that U.S. Navy warships and aircraft were
>	holding a 'short-notice exercise' in the Persian Gulf with the
>	United Arab Emirates, about 600 miles south of the Kuwait-Iraq
>	dispute.  The United States has at least seven warships in the
>	Gulf at any given moment.  The State Department announced at the
>	beginning of the crisis that it backs Kuwait's territorial
>	integrity."  ... "In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman
>	Margaret Tutwiler said both Iraq and Kuwait had strengthened their
>	armed forces.  'Iraq and others know there is no place for coercion
>	in a civilized world,' she said.  'All disputes should be handled
>	through peaceful means'."  ...  "Many observers said they believe
>	Saddam, who has spent an estimated $50 billion on sophisticated
>	arms since coming to power in 1979, is engaging in saber-rattling
>	to back his demands for lower oil production and higher prices."
>
>July, 1990 / "Kuwait calls end to state of alert in Iraqi dispute" A.P.:
>
>	"Kuwait has canceled a state of alert it declared in an oil
>	dispute with Iraq, a Kuwaiti source said.  The source, speaking
>	on condition of anonymity, claimed the crisis appears to have
>	passed.  However, officials in Baghdad reported that thousands
>	of Kuwaitis visiting Iraq were heading home.  And Iraqi dailies
>	continued to accuse Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates of
>	'upsurping Iraq's rights.'"  ...  "Kuwait had appealed to other
>	Arab states for support in the dispute with its more powerful
>	neighbor."  ...  "The developments underscored simmering tensions
>	in the Persian Gulf.  The region includes about two-thirds of
>	the world's proven oil reserves, so instability can pose a threat
>	to the world's oil supply."
>
>
>And what happened in the next few weeks before the invasion?
>Was it planned?  Are we to really believe that Iraq's long-time
>financial supporter was not aware of Saddam's ruthlessness?  Could
>just call this a fluke?  That the U.S. Naval warships just turned
>their back on a possible situation?  That there was not money or
>power to the United States' interests in the Middle East at the
>expense of another nation?
>
>Anwar, save your books that only support your personal feelings
>and ignore the possible truth about the whole situation just to
>make yourself feel better.
>
>And before you start spouting off what *you* perceive as the truth,
>and calling people naive and accusing them of 'fantasizing', you'd
>better check unbiased facts first.
>
>Anisa
>




>
>Anders Hove


-- 
Anwar Mohammed                FREE       Graduate Student
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