U.S. Gave Green Light for Iraq to Invade Kuwait

Arabic-Media ^ | March 3,2003 | Untitled

[Pan_Yan]

April in July

On July 25, 1990, eight days before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, a quiet, largely unreported meeting took place between Saddam Hussein and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq April Glaspie at the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, which has since been destroyed by the war. The transcript of this meeting is as follows:

U.S. Ambassador Glaspie:

"I have direct instructions from President Bush to improve our relations with Iraq. We have considerable sympathy for your quest for higher oil prices, the immediate cause of your confrontation with Kuwait. (pause) As you know, I have lived here for years and admire your extraordinary efforts to rebuild your country. We know you need funds. We understand that, and our opinion is that you should have the opportunity to rebuild your country. (pause) We can see that you have deployed massive numbers of troops in the south. Normally that would be none of our business, but when this happens in the context of your other threats against Kuwait, then it would be reasonable for us to be concerned. For this reason, I have received an instruction to ask you, in the spirit of friendship - not confrontation - regarding your intentions: Why are your troops massed so very close to Kuwait's borders?"

Saddam Hussein:

"As you know, for years now I have made every effort to reach a settlement on our dispute with Kuwait. There is to be a meeting in two days; I am prepared to give negotiations only this one more brief chance. (pause) When we [the Iraqis] meet [with the Kuwaitis] and we see there is hope, then nothing will happen. But if we are unable to find a solution, then it will be natural that Iraq will not accept death."

U.S. Ambassador Glaspie:

"What solutions would be acceptable?"

Saddam Hussein:

"If we could keep the whole of the Shatt al Arab - our strategic goal in our war with Iran - we will make concessions (to the Kuwaitis). But, if we are forced to choose between keeping half of the Shatt and the whole of Iraq (which, in Saddam's view, includes Kuwait) then we will give up all of the Shatt to defend our claims on Kuwait to keep the whole of Iraq in the shape we wish it to be. (pause) What is the United States' opinion on this?"

(Pause, then Ambassador Glaspie speaks carefully)

U.S. Ambassador Glaspie:

"We have no opinion on your Arab-Arab conflicts, such as your dispute with Kuwait. Secretary (of State James) Baker has directed me to emphasize the instruction, first given to Iraq in the 1960's that the Kuwait issue is not associated with America."

(Saddam smiles.)

---

The Green Light and the Limosine

At a Washington press conference called the next day, State Department spokesperson Margaret Tutweiler was asked by journalists:

"Has the United States sent any type of diplomatic message to the Iraqis about putting 30,000 troops on the border with Kuwait? Has there been any type of protest communicated from the United States government?"

to which she responded:

"I'm entirely unaware of any such protest."

On July 31st, two days before the Iraqi invasion, John Kelly, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs, testified to Congress that the

"United States has no commitment to defend Kuwait and the U.S. has no intention of defending Kuwait if it is attacked by Iraq."

Eight days later, on August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein's massed troops invaded and occupied Kuwait (ironically, this was done in a method historically similar to the American anexation of Texas). One month later in Baghdad, British journalists obtained the tape and transcript of the Hussein-Glaspie meeting on July 25, 1990. In order to verify this astounding information, they attempted to confront Ms. Glaspie as she was leaving the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Journalist 1:

"Are the transcripts (holding them up) correct, Madam Ambassador?"

(Ambassador Glaspie does not respond)

Journalist 2:

"You knew Saddam was going to invade (Kuwait), but you didn't warn him not to. You didn't tell him America would defend Kuwait. You told him the oppose - that America was not associated with Kuwait."

Journalist 1:

"You encouraged this aggression - his invasion. What were you thinking?"

U.S. Ambassador Glaspie:

"Obviously, I didn't think, and nobody else did, that the Iraqis were going to take ALL of Kuwait."

Journalist 1:

"You thought he was just going to take SOME of it? But how COULD YOU?! Saddam told you that, if negotiations failed, he would give up his Iran (Shatt al Arab Waterway) goal for the "WHOLE of Iraq, in the shape we wish it to be." You KNOW that includes Kuwait, which the Iraqis have always viewed as an historic part of their country!"

(Ambassador Glaspie says nothing, pushing past the two journalists to leave)

"America green-lighted the invasion. At a minimum, you admit signalling Saddam that some aggression was okay - that the U.S. would not oppose a grab of the al-Rumalya oil field, the disputed border strip and the Gulf Islands (including Bubiyan) - territories claimed by Iraq?"

(Again, Ambassador Glaspie says nothing as a limousine door closes behind her and the car drives off.)

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Ross Perot gets to The National Honor

Two years later, during NBC News Decision '92's 3rd round of The Presidential Debate, 1992 presidential candidate Ross Perot was quoted as saying:

"...we told him he could take the northern part of Kuwait; and when he took the whole thing we went nuts. And if we didn't tell him that, why won't we even let the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee see the written instructions for Ambassador Glaspie? - "

At this point, he was interrupted by former president George Bush who yelled:

"I've got to reply on that. That gets to the National Honour!... That is absolutely absurd!"

Later on in the debate, President Bill Clinton stated:

"...Several government departments, several, had information that he was converting our aid to military purposes and trying to develop weapons of mass destruction, but in late '89 the President signed a secret policy saying we were going to continue to try to improve relations with him, and we sent him some sort of communication on the eve of his invasion of Kuwait that we still wanted better relations..."

On August 23rd, Iraq offered to withdraw in return for the lifting of economic sanctions, guaranteed access to the Gulf, and full control of the Rumalyah oil field. The proposal was not accepted. In late February, the Soviets negotiated a peace proposal involving a three-week withdrawal period on the part of the Iraqis, in exchange for removal of the sanctions. George Bush did not accept.

It soon became reported in American newspapers, magazines, and television media that the Iraqis had the world's fourth-largest army with estimates of up to a million soldiers, including the battle-hardened elite republican guard. Later, it was estimates were reduced to 2-3 hundred thousand Iraqi soldiers. By the end of the war, this number was further reduced to a hundred-thousand untrained troops, most of whom were forced to maintain their positions. This is ironic, considering that in the fall of 1990, after the start of the war, Canadian military analyst Gwynne Dyer remarked that "Saddam Hussein was not a problem that kept anybody awake in July." Three successive American administrations did nothing from 1980 to 1988, when Saddam Hussein was responsible for killing over 150,000 Iranians and 13,000 of his own civilians including approximately 4,000 unarmed Kurds.

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[JasonC]

Oh horsenuance. The Kuwaitis were bucking OPEC quotas and thereby keeping the price of oil low, which was good for us. The Iraqis were threatening war over it. We basically said, you can browbeat them into sticking to their OPEC quotas and we won't go to war over it - it isn't in our interests, but it is a minor concession to yours and not worth a fight. They misinterpreted this as permission to invade and seize the whole country, then were brain dead enough not to back down when we told them to get back out.

[Pan_Yan]

What's with the personnal attacks? I haven't gone out of my way to insult you. If you have something constructive to add, please do so. If you're looking for an outlet for your pent up aggression go to a Yahoo! chat room.

For the umpteenth time, if you want to refute this material, use facts. Yelling Bullsh**! and calling names puts you in a class with Paul Begala.

It doesn't hurt me. It's just bullsh**. If you like spreading bullsh**, then post away. Hope you're enjoying your Moby CDs

I wouldn't suggest entering this arguement for the next Susan Colver-Rosenberger Prize for best dissertation.

[Pan_Yan]

Just so you understand my intent, my wife and I have been discussing why we should / shouldn't allow Iraq to divide itself into three seperate countries. I stumbled upon this little excerpt while reading about Iraqi history.

I think that without an iron fist in place, Iraq will end up in three pieces no matter what the map says. The arbitrary lines established by the British in 1932 mean nothing to the Kurds, Sunni, and Shites in Iraq. The country will be plunged into civil war soon after we leave. Or another dictator will arise. I can't see another outcome.

I'm not trying to re-live 1990 (I spent the first gulf war on a submarine in dry dock in Newport News and have no desire to go back).

I support the Presidents decision to invade Iraq. I think he is pursuing the larger goal of changing the power structure in the Middle East, much like Reagan went into office determined to win the cold war. I hope we have some brilliant political plan to make Iraq a thriving democracy, but I think it is a path fraught with dangers for Iraq.

I hope you see that this is relevent, much like the Shites distrust of us after we called for them to rise up in 1991 and then let them get slaughtered.

[zook]

You've got thin skin. I said you seemed to want to spread BS. Why are you doing this? I have no aggression against you. You're probably a very nice fellow/lady/whatever. But if you think you can toss raw Sadaam propaganda out here without getting flack for it, you're quite mistaken.

The only thing I said that came close to calling you a name was the Moby crack. And quite frankly, your post fits with that.

[lewislynn]

The only thing I said that came close to calling you a name was the Moby crack

Who or what is a "Moby"?

[lewislynn]

Oh horsenuance

----

"I have direct instructions from President Bush to improve our relations with Iraq. We have considerable sympathy for your quest for higher oil prices..."

It's in quotations.

[RichInOC]

...a quiet, largely unreported meeting took place between Saddam Hussein and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq April Glaspie...

Largely unreported? Really? Where? I remember it got quite a bit of run here in the States, back at the time. This particular passage is such a howler that it's hard to take anything else in the article seriously.

[Bonny Dick]

"It's in quotations."

Yes, as quoted by Saddam, thus is means nothing or did you believe Baghdad Bob?

[Consort]

...why we should / shouldn't allow Iraq to divide itself into three seperate countries.

We should not be part of that process. There are too many variables in the equation.

\ The arbitrary lines established by the British in 1932 mean nothing to the Kurds, Sunni, and Shites in Iraq. The country will be plunged into civil war soon after we leave.

We cannot be the long-term iron fist. If civil war breaks out, we will be caught in the crossfire no matter which side we choose, if any. The British screwed up. The Kurds want their own country and the Turks may not agree. The rest of Iraq may or may not agree.

I support the Presidents decision to invade Iraq.

Liberate Iraq. If civil war breaks out, or a new dictator takes over, we will begin a new cycle again and deal with the new government....as allies or as enemies.

[lewislynn]

Yes, as quoted by Saddam, thus is means nothing or did you believe Baghdad Bob?

Journalist 1:

"Are the transcripts (holding them up) correct, Madam Ambassador?"

(Ambassador Glaspie does not respond)

She had her chance(s) and didn't dispute them...grow up.

[Bonny Dick]

Saddam's transcript or can't you read?

[zook]

A question easily answered with a simple FR search.

[RedWing9]

Go here... http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/A/April-Glaspie.htm.