On this day in 1990, we woke up to the news that Iraq invaded Kuwait. It set off a chain of events that led us to The First Gulf War in 1991 and the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
In both cases, Saddam Hussein did not believe that the US would kick him out of Kuwait and then later out of power. Saddam was eventually captured and met justice in 2007.
Aren’t you glad that we removed him now that you see what’s happening in North Korea? Can you imagine Saddam with nuclear capabilities?
Aren’t you glad that we removed him now that you see what’s happening in North Korea? Can you imagine Saddam with nuclear capabilities?
A few years ago, CBS interviewed George Piro, the FBI agent assigned to interrogate Saddam Hussein after his capture. This is a portion of that interview:
Piro spent almost seven months debriefing Saddam in a plan based on winning his confidence by convincing him that Piro was an important envoy who answered to President Bush.This and being Saddam’s sole provider of items like writing materials and toiletries made the toppled Iraqi president open up to Piro, a Lebanese-American and one of the few FBI agents who spoke Arabic.“He told me he initially miscalculated… President Bush’s intentions. He thought the United States would retaliate with the same type of attack as we did in 1998…a four-day aerial attack,” says Piro.“He survived that one and he was willing to accept that type of attack.”“He didn’t believe the U.S. would invade?” asks Pelley,“No, not initially,” answers Piro.” (CBS)
Saddam came to the conclusion that the US did not have the stomach to take casualties.
Why did he arrive at such point?
Let us remember the 1990’s:
1993–Saddam tried to assassinate President Bush in Kuwait and President Clinton reacted by bombing Iraq that summer;
1993–Saddam tried to assassinate President Bush in Kuwait and President Clinton reacted by bombing Iraq that summer;
1998—Saddam kicked out the UN inspectors.
Eventually, President Clinton ordered a 4 day air war against Iraq and signed into law The Iraq Liberation Act.
Eventually, President Clinton ordered a 4 day air war against Iraq and signed into law The Iraq Liberation Act.
During the Clinton years, Saddam Hussein shot at US and UK airplanes enforcing the “no fly zone”.
Last, but not least, billions of dollars from The Oil for Food Program went missing rather than going to the Iraq people.
No wonder! Saddam thought that we would never invade him!
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