On Fri, 20 Sep 2002, Alberto Monteiro <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Tarek Aziz (sp?) asked Bush if it was ok to invade
Kuwait, and Bush said go ahead. Or so it seemed.
Not according to the Iraqi government. I read the transcript that the
Iraqi government government published of the conversation between the
US ambassador and Saddam Hussein. Of course, this is the Iraqi
version of the conversation and it may be false. But it may also be
true. According to the transcript (which I cut out of a paper copy of
the New York Times in Sept of 1990 or thereabouts and can no longer
find), the US ambassador spoek two sentences regarding the attack
itself. (I suspect most English speakers would conflate the two
sentences into one sentence.)
The first sentence consisted of words to the effect:
Normally we do not concern ourselves with an issue such as this.
This is the `attack' quote that many people remember.
However, in a second sentence, immediately following the first,
according to the Iraqi transcript, the US ambassador said words to the
effect:
But in these circumstances, we will do all that we can to
preserve the independence of Kuwait.
Bear in mind that at that time, the US did not have any agreement or
treaty with Kuwait. The US did not have to intervene.
As far as I can see, the US ambassador went as far as she could in
warning Saddam Hussein against invading and annexing Kuwait.
Obviously, her words were not enough. She got punished for the
failure. But nonetheless, I don't see how she could have said more.
--
Robert J. Chassell [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Rattlesnake Enterprises http://www.rattlesnake.com
Free Software Foundation http://www.gnu.org GnuPG Key ID: 004B4AC8
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