Word: iraq
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Though he's careful enough to avoid saying things that could cause a diplomatic embarrassment, he can be winningly unvarnished. When sent to Capitol Hill to explain Washington's spineless policy toward Iraq prior to its invasion of Kuwait, he admitted, "I'm here to defend the policy. It didn't work. When you've got a policy that didn't work, it's not easy to defend." Says Democratic Congressman Stephen Solarz: "He always conveys the impression that he's speaking bluntly and candidly, and that goes a long...
...compassion did not quite ring true. Just 17 months ago, when Saddam was ruthlessly crushing their rebellion in the south, Western leaders stood by and did nothing. At the time, they argued plausibly if heartlessly that an allied intervention risked both a military quagmire and an unstable partition of Iraq that could extend Iran's influence in the region. Neither prospect has disappeared. With Bush in Houston trying to reinvigorate his political fortunes, it was impossible to escape cynical questions about what was for real -- and what was for political effect. No more convincing was the sudden European eagerness...
...sharp turnaround, and why now? It appears the West's steeliness is % more reactive than provocative. For months, Western patience with Iraq has been wearing thin. Since January, Saddam has tweaked his enemies time and again, counting on Bush, Major and French President Francois Mitterrand to be too distracted by domestic issues to respond. "Saddam concluded that with all its problems, the West lacked the stomach to go to war with him again," says a senior British diplomat. "He saw that as an excellent opportunity to push his luck...
...IRAQ: An Appealing Military -- and Political -- Plan...
They will not -- probably cannot -- do it for Slavic Muslims in Bosnia. But the U.S. and its European allies are prepared to give air protection to Shi'ite Muslims in Iraq. The U.S., France and Britain, having mobilized a force of 200 aircraft and 19 navy ships, have agreed to declare a "no-fly zone" across the southern third of the country. The force is to fly reconnaissance missions over a marshy region where Western officials say Saddam Hussein pursues a policy of genocide against opponents of his regime. The goal will be to close the sky to Iraqi flights...