The Real Saddam

“Sweet. That was good!”

“pretty funny!”

“LMAO!”

“that is actually funny :o)”

“Facts + some interpretation (aka "spin"), but mostly on targey.

http://www.bushflash.com/thanks.html">http://www.bushflash.com/thanks.html”

“Link:

http://www.bushflash.com/thanks.html”

“Interesting, Ped!”

“Scary, his childhood picture looks just like our Scout who recently died. Eerie.”

“Veddy interestink!”

“I like the Frank Sinatra soundtrack.”

“Am I the only loser still on 56K dial up?”

“The bit about Saddam informing Glaspie of plans to invade Kuwait is a lie. You can read a transcript of their meeting here (scroll down to the section titled 'Shifting Price of Oil'. According to this transcript, she urged Saddam to use diplomatic means to solve the conflict with Kuwait.”

“First Violin - those are excerpts from the transcripts.
Second... it wasn't just during the the interview that Hussein signalled his interest in attacking Kuwait. Glaspie refers to other signals (see below).

Third: It is pretty disgusting - even in those partial transcripts how Glaspie sucks up to Saddam and lauds him for standing up to mean old Diane Sawyer who tried to make him sound like a nasty dictator.

For the second point: Glaspie (in your linked excerepts) says: "Frankly, we can see only 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."

She talks about unfair Dianne Sawyer was to poor Saddam (the awful elite media making Saddam look like such a bad guy).

She says to Saddam "Mr. President, not only do I want to say that President Bush wanted better and deeper relations with Iraq, but he also wants an Iraqi contribution to peace and prosperity in the Middle East. President Bush is an intelligent man. He is not going to declare an economic war against Iraq."

"I saw the Diane Sawyer program on ABC. And what happened in that program was cheap and unjust. And this is a real picture of what happens in the American media -- even to American politicians themselves. These are the methods the Western media employs. I am pleased that you add your voice to the diplomats who stand up to the media. Because your appearance in the media, even for five minutes, would help us to make the American people understand Iraq. This would increase mutual understanding. If they American President had control of the media, his job would be much easier."”

“Anyway, it is pretty darned injudicious of you to use the term "lie" in this case. It is a valid interpretation of what happened. It's not unreasonable to read Glaspie as giving the signal that Bush was ready to stand on the sidelines and say "too bad" as Iraq attacked Kuwait, the way the US criticizes things Israel does, while still handing over cash and weapons.”

“I honestly can't see how that can be read as a green light to an invasion. It sure does show us cozying up to a brutal dictator who had invaded his neighbor (Iran) and used chemical weapons.


"If they American President had control of the media, his job would be much easier."

The genesis of FOX News?”

“unbold.

I almost typed 'untrue' but I feel 'lie' is a more accurate word in this case.”

“For Glaspie's meaning of "border disagreement" I think you hae to read up further where Saddam says,"...while we were busy at war, the state of Kuwait began to expand at the expense of our territory.

You may say this is propaganda, but I would direct you to one document, the Military Patrol Line, which is the borderline endorsed by the Arab League in 1961 for military patrols not to cross the Iraq-Kuwait border.

But go and look for yourselves. You will see the Kuwaiti border patrols, the Kuwaiti farms, the Kuwaiti oil installations -- all built as closely as possible to this line to establish that land as Kuwaiti territory."”

“Here is a widely circulated piece of transcript not fully included in your edited version:

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 (i.e., in Saddam s view, including 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?

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.”

“There is also the following famous exchange:

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 opposite - 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!

Journalist 1 - American green-lighted the invasion. At a minimum, you admit signaling Saddam that some aggression was okay - that the U.S. would not oppose a grab of the al-Rumeilah oil field, the disputed border strip and the Gulf Islands (including Bubiyan) - the territories claimed by Iraq?

(Ambassador Glaspie says nothing as a limousine door closed behind her and the car drives off.)”

“Actually, if I remember right - there never has been a complete official transcript made available. At least, there were hearings under Bush 1 where they were refusing to release them.”

“Do you have a link to that 'omitted' part from a reputable source ped? I thought there was some controversy about its authenticity. I guess it would be worth paying the NY Times to see their archive.

To be fair, not answering reporter's allegations as you board a limo is not exactly an admission.”

“No, but "obviously, I didn't think, and nobody else did, that the Iraqis were going to take all of Kuwait" seems to acknowledge that there was reason to believe that Iraq would invade.

There is debate about what was said and what was omitted in the different versions of the transcripts. This is why it would be prudent to have a complete and official version released.

I don't think the US was trying to set up Saddam in 1991. It's possible, but it's not what I believe. I think it more likely that Bush was still trying to work with Saddam - and that Saddam misread Glaspie as giving a green light to take Kuwait, when the US was really giving the green light to put some pressure on Kuwait.

Bush and Saddam mayhave had a common interest in letting the price of oil rise.”

“That's pretty much the way I've read it. I checked the NY Times archives and there are a half dozen stories I found by searching "Iraq + Glaspie" that look interesting at $3 each.”

“Alright - You havbe a reasonable take on this Viol man.... but that doesn't help you hide your disgrace over falling for the viola -”

“mention the Viola and he pulls a Stratdewd - works every time.

(j/k)”