Nice find Jochen...
It's amazing how people focus upon one line in that exchange between Glaspie and Hussein..
"But we have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait."
But they conveniently ignore the following part of that exchange which provides context as Glaspie attempts to maintain a diplomatic balancing act aimed diffusing the tension between Iraq and Kuwait, while not committing the US to take sides on the long standing border dispute:
I was in the American Embassy in Kuwait during the late 60's. The instruction we had during this period was that we should express no opinion on this issue and that the issue is not associated with America. James Baker has directed our official spokesmen to emphasize this instruction. We hope you can solve this problem using any suitable methods via Klibi or via President Mubarak. All that we hope is that these issues are solved quickly. With regard to all of this, can I ask you to see how the issue appears to us?
In the above paragraph we see Glaspie EMPHASIZING pursuing the ongoing negotiations through Mubarak and Klibi. This is a FAR CRY from giving Saddam "carte blanche" to invade Kuwait. But let's read on:
My assessment after 25 years' service in this area is that your objective must have strong backing from your Arab brothers. I now speak of oil. But you, Mr. President, have fought through a horrific and painful war. Frankly, we can only see that you have deployed massive troops in the south. Normally that would not be any of our business. But when this happens in the context of what you said on your national day, then when we read the details in the two letters of the Foreign Minister, then when we see the Iraqi point of view that the measures taken by the U.A.E. and Kuwait is, in the final analysis, parallel to military aggression against Iraq, then it would be reasonable for me to be concerned. And for this reason, I received an instruction to ask you, in the spirit of friendship - not in the spirit of confrontation - regarding your intentions.
Glaspie CLEARLY, and IRREFUTABLY presses Saddam on what his intentions are, expressing concern that he is comtemplating military action. It is CLEARLY a matter that greatly concerns the Bush administration since she was specifically instructed to ask what his intentions are.
And Hussein (after rambling on a bit) CLEARLY states that he intends to continue pursuing the diplomatic process regarding the issue:
GLASPIE: Mr. President, it would be helpful if you could give us an assessment of the effort made by your Arab brothers and whether they have achieved anything.
HUSSEIN:. On this subject, we agreed with President Mubarak that the Prime Minister of Kuwait would meet with the deputy chairman of the Revolution Command Council in Saudi Arabia, because the Saudis initiated contact with us, aided by President Mubarak's efforts. He just telephoned me a short while ago to say the Kuwaitis have agreed to that suggestion.
GLASPIE: Congratulations.
HUSSEIN: A protocol meeting will be held in Saudi Arabia. Then the meeting will be transferred to Baghdad for deeper discussion directly between Kuwait and Iraq. We hope we will reach some result. We hope that the long-term view and the real interests will overcome Kuwaiti greed.
But that's NOT ALL.. Here's the clincher with regard to how Saddam LIED to Glaspie and that he clearly had ALREADY made up his mind to invade:
HUSSEIN: Brother President Mubarak told me they were scared. They said troops were only 20 kilometers north of the Arab League line. I said to him that regardless of what is there, whether they are police, border guards or army, and regardless of how many are there, and what they are doing, assure the Kuwaitis and give them our word that we are not going to do anything until we meet with them. When we meet and when we see that 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, even though wisdom is above everything else. There you have good news.
AZIZ: This is a journalistic exclusive.
GLASPIE: I am planning to go to the United States next Monday. I hope I will meet with President Bush in Washington next week. I thought to postpone my trip because of the difficulties we are facing. But now I will fly on Monday
Glaspie leaves with the belief that Saddam will not be taking any military action until after these negotiations have taken place...
Instead.. seven days later Saddam invades Kuwait.
Once again Jochen, I thank you for posting that link. It clearly states that Saddam lied to Glaspie about his intentions related to invading Kuwait. How ANYONE (and they know who they are) can translate that into some kind of "blessing upon Saddam" by the previous Bush administration is ABSURD.
Hawk |
