The Ruth Group has been offered this special report on one of the least commented upon issues of the war on Iraq.  How is it that Iraq came to be such a threat?  How is it that Saddam Hussein rose to such power?  Was his pre-eminence due entirely to events internal to Iraq and the people there, or were there outside influences?  Was there anything that could have been done to prevent the horrors his regime visited on the area and on his own people?  The encapsulation of events in the early 1980's presented below is fascinating in its own right, and may be a foundation for even more detailed writing and research.  We hope to have further such reports as time and events allow.

 

In 2002

CNN's Jamie McIntyre interviews Sec. State Donald Rumsfeld: September 21, 2002

MCINTYRE: Well, let me take you back about 20 years ago. The date, I believe, was December 20th, 1983, you were meeting with Saddam Hussein. I think we have some video of that, of that meeting. Tell me what was going on during this meeting.

RUMSFELD: Where did you get this video? From the Iraqi television...

MCINTYRE: This is from Iraqi television.

RUMSFELD: When did they give it to you? Recently or back then?

MCINTYRE: No, we've dug this out of the CNN library.

RUMSFELD: I see. Isn't that interesting? There I am.

Donald Rumsfeld's Role in the Development of U.S. - Iraqi Relations; 1983-84

A Ruth Group Special Report

 


The intent of this report is to make available declassified documents which indicate the extent of then-U.S. Ambassador Donald Rumsfeld's role in establishing ties between Saddam Hussein and the Reagan Administration. This is only an encapsulation of the events and documents, and a far more detailed analysis can be studied at the George Washington University website, which is the source of the documents provided here. It is very extensive and deals with the intricacies of the diplomatic negotiations between Iraq and the U.S. during and after the Iran-Iraq war. Please consider this report as being merely a primer, and complete study of the information and analyses on the GWU site is highly recommended for a full understanding.

These documents, when compared with information included in U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's February 6, 2003 presentation to the U.N. Security Council, clearly indicate that Mr. Rumsfeld and the State Department of the Reagan administration were abundantly aware of Iraq's "almost daily" use of chemical weapons at the very time that Mr. Rumsfeld was the "point man" in U.S. efforts to improve relations with Hussein's regime. They also indicate that Mr. Rumsfeld was aware of and involved in the formulation of policy decisions to minimize Iranian efforts to call Iraq to task for its violations of the Geneva Protocol. These efforts were achieved by U.S. influence on its allies, largely in the interest of developing closer ties with Iraq which would result in the establishment of Iraqi oil pipelines to Saudi Arabia and Jordan under the condition of U.S. promises to keep Israel from becoming a security threat to these pipelines.

Your humble compiler urges you, dear reader, to read, research and find alternative sources that may confirm or refute any assertions or statements made in this report. I invite you to draw your own conclusions.

All credit is due to The George Washington University National Security Archive and Joyce Battle for her excellent research, from which much of the material used in this report was derived.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/press.htm

 

All other sources listed where appropriate.

 

The Geneva Protocol enters into force.
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hsp/1925.html

Iran signs the Geneva Protocol.

Iraq signs the Geneva Protocol.
http://projects.sipri.se/cbw/research/factsheet-1984.html

Iran-Iraq War begins. The war begins as the result of a territorial dispute over the Shatt al Arab waterway. Iraq initiates hostilities, but claims that Iran started it by shelling Iraqi cities (no verification of this claim found).
http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/history/A0825449.html

President Ronald Reagan signs National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 99 ("United States Security Strategy for Near East and South Asia"). To this day, the document is only available in highly redacted form:
View Document

Despite U.S. Intelligence reports of "almost daily" use of chemical weapons by Iraq, U.S. Administration decides to support Iraq in the war; "We have recently Received additional Information confirming Iraqi use of chemical weapons. We also know that Iraq has acquired a CW production capability, primarily from Western firms, including possibly a U.S. foreign subsidiary It is important, however, that we approach Iraq very soon in order to maintain the credibility of U.S. policy on CW, as well as to reduce or halt what now appears to be Iraq's almost daily use of CW."

Original Document:
View Document

Plans to send Donald Rumsfeld to Iraq for talks with Tariq Aziz are formulated. US Government Officials appear to agonize (and occasionally disagree) on how to raise the issue in Baghdad talks. A decision is made to not publicly condemn Iraq's use of CW for fear of highlighting Iran's "propaganda" in this regard.

Original Documents: (must read for full details)
View Document

Iraqi CW attacks (mostly Mustard Gas) kill an estimated 3,000 Kurds and Iranians.

Source: CIA. (Sec. Powell's presentation to the U.N.) [Note: Since this CIA report was written it has been removed from the original CIA site. We include a cached copy. The “clickable” links do not work. Scroll down to read it.]]
CIA Overview of Iraq WMD

State Department cables "talking points" for Rumsfeld/Aziz/Hussein meeting. Talking points include (but not limited to):

The U.S. Government would consider "any major reversal of Iraqi fortunes as a strategic defeat for the west".

Iraqi should "maintain high moral ground" by first exhausting all diplomatic means in a resolution to the conflict.

U.S. proposes expansion of Iraqi oil pipelines "through Saudi Arabia and perhaps elsewhere".

"The U.S. could do more to influence its allies to deprive Iran of the means to continue the war."

The U.S. could "lift restrictions on some military items Iraq wishes to purchase from third parties".

Original Document:
View Document

Rumsfeld meets with Tariq Aziz, reports back to State Department. Main issues discussed:

Expressions of both parties' desires to enhance relationships.

Ending Iran-Iraq war "in a way that would not feed Iran's ambitions".

Bringing Egypt back into the Arab world.

Freeing Lebanon of "foreign forces".

No mention of Iraq's use of chemical weapons.

Original Document:
View Document

Rumsfeld meets with Saddam Hussein, reports back to State Department. The diplomatic dance begins in earnest and many issues are discussed in detail. High on the list of U.S. priorities were the potential Iraqi pipelines to Saudi Arabia and "possibly Jordan". High on the list of Iraqi priorities were U.S. reassurances that Israel would not be a security threat in this regard.

Terrorism was discussed at some length, with both parties agreeing that "terrorism has a home - - in Iran, Syria and Libya" and the then Soviet Union was contributing to it.

Detailed discussions of the Lebanon situation, the Israeli-Palestinian situation and many other concerns in the Middle East, including discussions third party weapons sales to Iran and other facets of the Iran-Iraq conflict.

Rumsfeld cites appreciation that Hussein ousted Abu Nidal from Iraq.

No mention of chemical weapons in the following...

Original Document:
View Document
Very interesting reading.

In a different cable, Rumsfeld says that human rights violations, use of chemical weapons and escalation of the war would be impediments to U.S. abilities to help Iraq.

Original Document:
View Document

Eagleton debriefs Aziz (and vice verse) and a report is sent. This document is redacted in very interesting places. We invite the readers to fill in the blanks.

View Document

Rumsfeld gets a glowing reference from Aziz.

View Document

Estimated 2,500 Iranians killed in Iraqi chemical weapons attacks (Mustard Gas). Combatant/Non-Combatant status unavailable. Location: Majnun Island.

Source: CIA (Sec. Powell's presentation to the U.N.)
CIA Overview of Iraq WMDp://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/iraq_wmd/Iraq_Oct_2002.htm#05

U.S. condemns Iraqi use of chemical weapons in the Iran-Iraq war. Hussein is not amused. U.S.-Iraqi "bilateral relations were sharply set back" by the U.S. condemnation. In the interest of healing the wounds, U.S. decides to vote "no decision" on an Iranian draft resolution regarding Iraqi use of chemical weapons, develops "talking points" for use in defending this position. "The U.N. Human Rights Commission is an inappropriate forum for matters dealing with chemical weapons". A more appropriate forum is not mentioned. Rumsfeld is scheduled to return for further talks with Hussein and Aziz.

Rumsfeld requests information:
View Document

Iraq uses chemical weapons at Hoor-ul-Huzwaizeh; UN experts verify this attack and six others between February 26 and March 17.

http://projects.sipri.se/cbw/research/factsheet-1984.html

Estimated 50-100 Iranians killed in Iraqi chemical weapons attack (Tabun). Combatant/Non-Combatant status unavailable. Location: al-Basrah.

Source: CIA (Sec. Powell's presentation to the U.N.)
CIA OVerview of Iraq WMD

Rumsfeld visits Baghdad again. If there is an available record of this meeting, I've not succeeded in finding it.

 

Last confirmed Iraqi combat use of chemical weapons; Halabjah.

Source: CIA (Sec. Powell's presentation to the U.N.)
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/iraq_wmd/Iraq_Oct_2002.htm#05

Last confirmed Iraqi testing of chem./bio weapons: Bacillus subtilis/Glycerine, Modified Mirage F1 drop-tank (cap. 2,200 liters)

Source: CIA (Sec. Powell's presentation to the U.N.)
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/iraq_wmd/Iraq_Oct_2002.htm#05

Closing Note

 

The situation got more interesting after Rumsfeld's second visits, but that's a topic for another report. Although I will state no conclusions here, I would suggest that the reader take a look at the conclusion stated at the GWU National Security Archive web site.

Documentation of U.S. combat use and testing of chem/bio weapons:

Open air chemical weapons testing in the U.S.

http://historytogo.utah.gov/chemical.html

DoD chem./bio weapons testing:

http://www.va.gov/OCA/testimony/09oc02JP_usa.htm

Agent Orange:

(The original link to this page is dead. A cached version is here)
http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:eJ2ilgZqazIC:www.va.gov/pressrel/aoiss400.htm+agent+orange+use+dates&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

"Non-Lethal" chemical weapons:

http://www.sunshine-project.org/publications/pr/pr270902.html

U.S. storage of chemical weapons:
http://www.sbccom.army.mil/


http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/arms/bcw/

Contact the Ruth Group.

Contact the compiler of this report.