Saddam - respected by his own people and others |
| Posted by: h@ts | | I'm not saying these documents have any great meaning by themselves but they're interesting to read none the less. This is realpolitik rather than the the hogwash the public is generally fed. It's worth noting that Saddam had gassed the Kurds by the time the second document was written.
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One memo dated September 19, 1988, from Richard Murphy, the assistant secretary for Near Eastern and South Asian affairs, opposed economic sanctions on Iraq for its chemical weapons use. It noted, “The US-Iraqi relationship is...important to our long-term political and economic objectives in the Gulf and beyond. Iraq emerges from the war as a major economic and military power. Its oil reserves are second to those of Saudi Arabia. It is a disciplined, purposeful, and ruthless regime, led by a dictator who is feared and respected by his own people and others.”
Another document, written in January 1989 for the incoming administration of George H. W. Bush and entitled “Guidelines for US-Iraq Policy,” elaborated on the prospective benefits to Washington of Hussein’s rightward shift. It noted, “Iraq has come through its war with Iran with great military and political power, and is aiming higher. President Saddam Hussein has the wherewithal to be a major player in regional affairs, as a prominent member in a loose alignment of conservative Arab states featuring Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq’s prestige among these nations, its vast oil reserves promising a lucrative market for US goods, and its status as a wavering Soviet quasi-client all give our bilateral political relationship importance and room for opportunity.” |
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| Posted by: h@ts | | Richard Murphy's words, not mine. We in the West have been told Saddam was a brutal tryant. I've no reason to think otherwise. | | Reply To this Message
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| Posted by: Curley Joe | |
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h@ts said this in post #3 :
Richard Murphy's words, not mine. We in the West have been told Saddam was a brutal tryant. I've no reason to think otherwise. |
So then what's the point of posting a ridiculous piece? To cast doubt? 
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| Posted by: h@ts | |
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Curley Joe said this in post #4 :
So then what's the point of posting a ridiculous piece? To cast doubt? |
you asking the point of a post - now that's rich 
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| Posted by: MrJukoVette | | Curley that's how liberal propaganda works. Today Saddam is respected, tomorrow it turns out that Bush is the dictator and Saddam is innocent. Keep in mind that for this 'tomorrow' to come, they need a good loss by George Bush. | | Reply To this Message
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| Posted by: Dekka00 | | So you guys are denying that in the beginning we supported Saddam? | | Reply To this Message
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| Posted by: h@ts | |
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MrJukoVette said this in post #7 :
Curley that's how liberal propaganda works. Today Saddam is respected, tomorrow it turns out that Bush is the dictator and Saddam is innocent. Keep in mind that for this 'tomorrow' to come, they need a good loss by George Bush. |
I thought they were interesting documents. One of them mentions Iraqi economic sanctions so some in the Bush snr administration had differing view to the one's that won out.
I've argued this point before and the post just adds some weight to it.
As for your response, it's not surprising - stick you're tongue out and cry it's all the fault of the liberals. This is a typical conservative response - blame someone else
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| Posted by: MrJukoVette | | First of all, the US had to choose the lesser of 2 evils - at least, Saddam wasn't an islamic radicalist. Second, strategic alliance does not mean moral and military support, as often claimed by the left. "US selling WMDs to Saddam" is BS. It did not. | | Reply To this Message
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| Posted by: Curley Joe | | I'm not even gonna waste any more of my time with these two morons and this idiotic thread, MrJukovette. | | Reply To this Message
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Iraq Forum: Saddam - respected by his own people and others
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