"Exposed: Washington's Role in Saddam's Oil Plot" by Helga Graham, London Observer, October 21, 1990.

 

Main Point

The United States government encouraged Iraq to take aggressive action against Kuwait.

 

Summary

Washington gave Saddam Hussein every indication that they agreed and even encouraged Iraq’s seizure of Kuwaiti oilfields.  One of Saddam’s closest associates was told to engineer high oil prices in order to manage their flailing economy and force the increased prices on fellow OPEC members.  Saddam followed U.S. advice and backed his demands by troop movement on the Kuwait border.   Meanwhile, U.S. was still trying to appease Saddam over his human rights abuses and gave no indication that they would retaliate against such movements.  All the evidence points to the U.S. complicity with Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait and not merely a miscalculation of the Iraqi leader’s intentions. 

 

Summary by Ċetta Mainwaring