Pres. Bush sends letters to leaders of Syria, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, urging flexibility in positions on proposed Middle East peace conference. Bush's letter to Pres. al-Asad...
Baghdad releases 2 U.S. POWs, 40 journalists, and hundreds of Kuwaiti POWs, as well as 1,181 who had been abducted by Iraqi troops. More than 6,300 American soldiers arrive in U.S. during 1st full...
New York Times reports that Bush admin. began planning offensive campaign to remove Iraq from Kuwait as early as September 1990, despite public insistence that U.S. troops were to defend...
Charging that its civilian population had been bombed beyond "minimum of human standards," Iraqi military announces it has moved captured airmen to strategic locations to deter future allied air...
Protests are planned on behalf of steadily growing anti-war movement in U.S. embracing every major religious denomination in country and 9 major unions [NYT, LAT 1/11].
Pres. Bush sends letter to Congress calling on both houses to adopt resolution supporting use of force against Iraq if it does not withdraw from Kuwait by 1/15 [NYT, LAT, WP 1/9].
Pres. Bush says that U.S. military action against Iraq would not necessarily begin immediately after 1/15, even if Iraqi troops had not left Kuwait; Bush meets with UN Sec.- Gen. Perez de Cuellar...
Read more
Pres. Bush sends letters to leaders of Syria, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, urging flexibility in positions on proposed Middle East peace conference. Bush's letter to Pres. al-Asad delivered by Secy. of State Baker to Syrian For. Min. Faruq al-Shar' in Lisbon. Syrian acceptance of U.S. peace proposals considered key to their success. (WP 6/2, 6/4; NYT 6/5)
Israeli troops intercept two commandos seeking to infiltrate across Jordan river, killing one. (NYT 6/1)
Paris-based Le Point publishes interview with King Hussein in which he called for "face-to-face" talks between Arabs and Israelis. (Radio Israel in FBIS 6/1)
Baghdad releases 2 U.S. POWs, 40 journalists, and hundreds of Kuwaiti POWs, as well as 1,181 who had been abducted by Iraqi troops. More than 6,300 American soldiers arrive in U.S. during 1st full day of nonstop homecomings [LAT, NYT 3/9].
During 2 1/2-hour meeting in Riyadh, Sec. Baker outlines to King Fahd 4 U.S. policy goals announced by Pres. Bush on 3/6. King agrees to take active role in support of U.S., but offers no specific commitments [NYT, LAT 3/9; RIDS 3/8 in FBIS 3/11; MET 3/19].
Iranian Pres. Rafsanjani expresses sympathy for rebels trying to overthrow Saddam Hussein; calls for Saddam to surrender "to the will of the people" [LAT, NYT 3/9].
In interview with journalists from Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, Pres. Bush says PLO has "lost credibility" after siding with Iraq; Bush dismisses chances for U.S.-PLO talks any time soon [WP 3/10].
EC "troika" ministers meet with King Hussein to discuss Middle East peace proposals [ADS 3/8 in FBIS 3/8].
New York Times reports that Bush admin. began planning offensive campaign to remove Iraq from Kuwait as early as September 1990, despite public insistence that U.S. troops were to defend Saudi Arabia and enforce UN sanctions [NYT 3/3].
Allied officials and Iraqi refugees report chaos and near anarchy in Basra as Iraqi troops leaving Kuwait arrive [NYT, WP 3/3].
American officer reports that dozens of Iraqi tanks, perhaps lost and without communications, attacked U.S. troops in worse violation of cease-fire. American forces repel attack, destroying about 60 vehicles and capturing about 80 tanks and personnel carriers; there are no American casualties [NYT, WP 3/3].
Senior U.S. admin. officials say Washington wants to maintain much larger military presence in Gulf region than it had before Iraq invaded Kuwait in order to deter aggression against U.S. allies [NYT 3/3].
UN Sec. Council adopts, by 11-1 vote, resolution 686 which reaffirms, in more detail, cease-fire conditions imposed on Iraq (cf. 3/3) [WP, MEM 3/4].
PLO leadership meets in Tunis, calls for urgent" measures to halt attacks and arrests of Palestinians in Kuwait [TDS, AFP 3/3 in FBIS 3/4; AVP 3/3 in FBIS 3/5].
Lebanon's Pres. Hrawi warns in speech that Palestinian guerrillas will no longer be allowed to attack Israel from Lebanon: we will not tolerate the use of Katyusha rockets to provoke an invasion of this country. The liberation of Palestine cannot be fulfilled by the firing of Katyusha rockets" [NYT 3/4; MEM 3/5].
Charging that its civilian population had been bombed beyond "minimum of human standards," Iraqi military announces it has moved captured airmen to strategic locations to deter future allied air attacks. Pres. Bush and British officials express outrage, saying this violates Geneva Convention, and International Red Cross agrees; Bush vows to hold Saddam accountable for "brutal parading of allied pilots" on television [BADS 1/21 in FBIS 1/22; MEM 1/21; NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/22].
Changing earlier position, Syrian D.M. joins Egyptian and Saudi gov'ts. in saying that Israeli retaliation against Iraq would not force Arabs out of coalition [MEM, WP 1/22].
Admin. officials say that simple declaration that Iraq intends to withdraw from Kuwait would not be enough to halt allied attacks; air bombardment would continue until massive withdrawal is underway, causing speculation about U.S. aims and goals of war with Iraq [NYT, LAT, WP 1/22].
Capping 5 days of talks in Israel with senior gov't. officials, Dep. Sec. of State Eagleburger speaks of Bush admin.'s admiration and "affection" for Israel, especially because of the restraint shown by Israel in not responding to Iraqi missile attacks [NYT, LAT 1/22]; Los Angeles Times reports of Israel's desire to retaliate after 1st SCUD missile attack was hindered by U.S. not providing Israel with electronic identification codes needed to tell allied and Iraqi aircraft apart [LAT 1/22].
New York Times/CBS News poll finds 82% of Americans approve of way Pres. Bush is handling Gulf conflict; 48%, though, believe war will cost more than 5,000 American lives [NYT 1/22]; Washington Post/ABC News poll finds similar results [WP 1/22].
Iraq launches 2 SCUD missiles at Saudi Arabia, 1 lands in ocean, other is intercepted by Patriot missile [MEM 1/21; LAT, WT, WP 1/22].
Iraq abrogates all existing treaties and agreements with Saudi Arabia, including a bilateral nonagression pact [BADS 1/21 in FBIS 1/22; LAT 1/22].
Protests are planned on behalf of steadily growing anti-war movement in U.S. embracing every major religious denomination in country and 9 major unions [NYT, LAT 1/11].
Arab diplomats at UN say they believe Saddam Hussein plans initiative soon after 1/15 deadline expressing support "in principle" for leaving Kuwait while simultaneously calling for international conference to address Palestinian grievances against Israel [NYT, WP 1/11].
Sec. of State Baker meets with King Fahd; they reportedly discuss timing of allied attack on Iraq [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/11].
New York Times reports Saudi Arabia earned roughly $15 billion in windfall oil profits from August to December, and has pledged $30 billion in Gulf-related commitments, effectively mortgaging part of future oil profits [NYT 1/11]; Kuwait has disbursed nearly $7 billion to help finance coalition effort [WT 1/11].
Congress opens debate on whether to authorize war with Iraq; Democrats accuse Pres. Bush of rushing toward use of force [LAT, WP 1/11].
Pres. Bush telephones P.M. Shamir, asks again that Israel "remain low" during Gulf crisis [WP 1/11].
U.S. Justice Dep't. orders immigration authorities to begin fingerprinting and photographing anyone entering the U.S. with a Kuwaiti or Iraqi passport as part of an effort to combat potential terrorism [MEM, WP 1/1 1].
Pres. Mubarak tells CNN that "if Iraq launched an attack at Israel without any Israeli participation [in war], she would have the right to attack it [back]" [MEM 1/11].
Pres. Bush sends letter to Congress calling on both houses to adopt resolution supporting use of force against Iraq if it does not withdraw from Kuwait by 1/15 [NYT, LAT, WP 1/9].
Chrmn. of House Armed Services Committee, Lee Aspin (D-Wisc.) says if war breaks out in Gulf, U.S. will attack in phases, beginning with air campaign; ground attack would be used as last resort and in final phases of fighting [NYT, LAT, WP 1/9].
F.M. Aziz arrives in Geneva, says he has come for "constructive talks," but would not bow to pressure. Sec. Baker also arrives in Geneva after spending day in successive meetings in European capitals with leaders of France, Italy, and Germany [MEM 1/8; NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/9].
King Hussein of Jordan visits Germany to discuss Gulf crisis; he is in Bonn at the same time as Sec. Baker, but the two did not meet [NYT 1/9].
Saudi D.M. "categorically denie[s]" that 6 Iraqi helicopter pilots sought refuge in Saudi Arabia on 1/7; allies say entire incident is mix-up [MEM 1/8; NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/9].
Israel deports to Lebanon 4 Palestinians from Gaza Strip less than 24 hours after they dropped appeals to Supreme Court [IDF 1/8 in FBIS 1/8; MEM 1/8; NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/9].
Washington Post/ABC News poll finds most Americans want Congress to support more strongly Pres. Bush's Gulf policy (68%), but equally large majority thinks Bush should get authorization from Congress before going to war (66%) [WP 1/8].
Pres. Bush says that U.S. military action against Iraq would not necessarily begin immediately after 1/15, even if Iraqi troops had not left Kuwait; Bush meets with UN Sec.- Gen. Perez de Cuellar at Camp David [NYT, LAT, WP 1/6].
In an interview with French legislator, Saddam says he is prepared to make certain "sacrifices" in return for guarantees that Iraq will not be attacked [WP 1/8].
U.S. State Dep't. rebukes Israel for increasing its firepower in recent clashes with Palestinians and apparently abandoning moderation IDF showed last summer [NYT 1/6].
F.M.'s of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Syria meet in Riyadh for 2-day talks to review Gulf crisis [DDS 1/5, MENA, SPA 1/6 in FBIS 1/7; WP 1/7].
Guido de Marco, Pres. of UN Gen. Assembly, arrives in Amman after visit to o.t.; calls for swift action to convene international conference on Middle East peace, says that worsening tension in o.t. is unacceptable [ADS 1/5 in FBIS 1/7].
Israeli helicopters shell "resistance" targets in Biqqa Valley in S. Lebanon [BDS 1/5 in FBIS 1/7]; Israel denies incident [WP 1/6].
IDF shoots dead infiltrator; Israeli officer is wounded in clash after man is spotted crossing border from Jordan into Israel [MEM 1/7].
