Publicly, the United States maintained neutrality during the
eight-year Iran-Iraq war, which began in 1980.
Privately, however, the administrations of Reagan and George H.W. Bush
sold military goods to Iraq, including poisonous chemicals and deadly
biological agents, worked to stop the flow of weapons to Iran, and
undertook discreet diplomatic initiatives, such as the two Rumsfeld
trips to Baghdad, to improve relations with Hussein.
The documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the
nonprofit National Security Archive, provide new, behind-the-scenes
details of U.S. efforts to court Iraq as an ally even as it used
chemical weapons in its war with Iran.
An earlier trip by Rumsfeld to Baghdad, in December 1983, has been
widely reported as having helped persuade Iraq to resume diplomatic
ties with the United States.
An explicit purpose of Rumsfeld's return trip in March 1984, the
once-secret documents reveal for the first time, was to ease the
strain created by a U.S. condemnation of chemical weapons.
When details of Rumsfeld's December trip came to light last year, the
defense secretary told CNN that he had "cautioned" Saddam Hussein
about the use of chemical weapons, an account that was at odds with
the declassified State Department notes of his 90-minute meeting,
which did not mention such a caution.
Last year, the Bush administration cited its belief that Iraq had and
would use weapons of mass destruction -- including chemical,
biological and nuclear devices -- as the principal reason for going to
war.
But throughout 1980s, while Iraq was fighting a prolonged war with
Iran, the United States saw Hussein's government as an important ally
and bulwark against the militant Shiite extremism seen in the 1979
revolution in Iran.
From The Washington Post, 12/19/03:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13558-2003Dec18.html
Rumsfeld Visited Baghdad in 1984 to Reassure Iraqis, Documents Show
Trip Followed Criticism Of Chemical Arms' Use
By Dana Priest
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 19, 2003; Page A42
Donald H. Rumsfeld went to Baghdad in March 1984 with instructions to
deliver a private message about weapons of mass destruction: that the
United States' public criticism of Iraq for using chemical weapons
would not derail Washington's attempts to forge a better relationship,
according to newly declassified documents.
_______________________________________________________
So what did Saddam do with the WMDs we gave him? Where are they?
Harry
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