.
US Ambassador Glaspie’s cable on her meeting with Saddam reports that President George H.W. Bush “had instructed her to broaden and deepen our relations with Iraq.” Saddam, in turn, offered “warm greetings” to Bush and was “surely sincere” about not wanting war.
Glaspie: “Saddam told her he had assured Mubarak that he would try to settle the dispute.”
… and that is what Saddam and his sons did by invading Kuwait.
Before the 1968 revolution, Ali Hassan was a motorcycle messenger in the army. Under Saddam Hussein, he served as Chief of Security; Secretary, Office of Northern Iraqi affairs; Military Governor of Kuwait (1990-1991); Director of the Revolutionary Command Council; Defence minister (91-95) and finally Director of Intelligence and Interior Minister.
He was called Chemical Ali and the Butcher of Kurdistan for allegedly ordering a poison gas attack in 1988 that killed thousands of Kurds (the Halabja poison gas attack).
Peter Galbraith: One man’s battle to stop Iraq
On March 16, 1988 Saddam’s horrific plan became clear to the entire world. Saddam’s helicopters [Bell helicopters delivered by the US for “crop dusting” – Oui] swept over the Kurdish city of Halabja leaving clouds of chemical gas behind. Five thousand innocent civilians died in the first few hours. The images of bodies piled on the streets were broadcast around the world. (read more)
Galbraith went to northern Iraq to document the terrible toll.
Following the Halabja attack and Iraq’s August Chemical Warfare (CW) offensive against Iraqi Kurds, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed on 8 September 1988 the “Prevention of Genocide Act of 1988 ” the day after it is introduced.[31] The act cuts off from Iraq U.S. loans, military and non-military assistance, credits, credit guarantees, items subject to export controls, and U.S. imports of Iraqi oil.[32]
Immediately after the bill’s passage the Reagan Administration announced its opposition to the bill,[33] and State Department spokesman Charles Redman called the bill “premature”.[34] The Administration works with House opponents to a House companion bill, and after numerous legislation compromises and end-of-session haggling, the Senate bill died “on the last day of the legislative session”.[35]
Cable to Glaspie on Bechtel’s meeting with an angry Husayn Kamil – 1988
[Chemical substance originated in the United States, no convictions in the land of the free – Oui]
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
