A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide (93 page)

72. "Iraqi Attacks on Kurds," secret cable from Secretary of State George Shultz to the U.S. ent- bassy in Baghdad, Septe nber 3, 1988, p. 3; reproduced as 0)1626 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraggate.

73. "Iraqi Attacks on Kurds," secret cable from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad to Secretary of State George Shultz, September 4, 1988, section 2, pp. 1-2, and section 1, pp. 2-3; reproduced as 00627 in National Security Archive, ed., Iragtiate. Internal cable traffic from early September onward takes the following facts as given: "After ceasefire Iraq began major campaign to crush Kurdish rebellion by depopulating countryside, including [chemical weapons use, mass deportations/executions." See "Your Treaty with Iraqi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Saadoun Hammack, Thursday, September 8, 1988 at 4:15 P.M.," secret briefing memorandum from Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Richard Murphy to Secretary of State George Shultz, September 7, 1988, p. 3; reproduced as 00628 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraggate.

74. State Department briefing, Federal News Service, September 6, 1988. State Department spokespersons Oakley and Redman said they had no information on August 25, August 31, September 1, September 2, September 6, and September 7. Redman's briefing was picked up also in the Washington Post David B. Ottaway, "U.S. Concern Is Expressed to Baghdad; Confirmation Lacking on Chemical Attacks;' Washington Post, September 7, 1988, p. A24.

75. Jonathan C. Randal,"Refugees Travel Deeper into Turkey to Escape Iraqi Troops," I.lashington Post, September 5, 1988, p. A19; Alan Cowell, "Fleeing Assault by Iraqis, Kurds Tell of Poison Gas and Lives Lost," New York Times, September 5, 1988, p. A 1. One human rights group did send a medical team to the border. On the basis of its investigation, conducted October 7-16, Physicians for Human Rights concluded categorically that "Iraqi aircraft attacked Kurdish villages in northern Iraq with bombs containing lethal poison gas on August 25, 1988." But by the time the group issued its finding, more than a month had passed since the attacks and international attention to the issue had waned.

76. Clyde Haberman, "Kurds' Symptoms: Gas or Poor Diet?" New York Times, September 12, 1988, p. A 1.

77. Theodore Stanger, "'A Recipe for Disaster,"' Newsweek, September 26, 1988, p. 38.

78. Clyde Haberman,"What Drove the Kurds out of Iraq New York Times, September 13, 1988, p. A6.

79. State Department briefing, Federal News Service, September 8, 1988.

80. Ibid., September 9, 1988.

81. Julie Johnson, " U.S. Adamant in Charge Against Iraq," New York Times, September 10, 1988, p. A4.

82. Julie Johnson, "U.S. Asserts Iraq Used Poison Gas Against the Kurds," New Yrrk Tirnes, September 9, 1988, p. Al.

83. "Secretary's Meeting with Iraqi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Saadoun Hanunadi," secret cable from Secretary of State George Shultz to the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, September 9, 1988, p. 6; reproduced as 00633 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraggate.

84. Patrick E. Tyler, "Iraqi Official Says Kurds Fleeing Army Operation; Envoy Denies Use of Chemical Weapons," Washington Post, September 4, 1988, p. A33.

85. Morton Abramowitz, "Iraq's Use of Chemical Weapons on the Kurds," secret information memorandum from Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Morton Abramowitz to Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Michael Armacost, September 17, 1988, p. 2; reproduced as 00648 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraggate.

86. Patrick E. Tyler, "Iraq Denies Using Chemical Weapons on Kurds;' Washington Post, September 16, 1988, p. A 19.

87. Jim Hoagland, "Iraq Is One Place Where Sanctions Might Work," Washington Post, September 15, 1988, p. A25.

88. Peter Galbraith,"The Tragedy of Iraqi Kurdistan: The Destruction of a People and Culture," remarks to the international conference, "The Kurds: Human Rights and Cultural Identity," Paris, October 14, 1989.

89. Middle East Watch, Human Rights in Iraq, p. 123, citing a letter from Nizar Hamdoon to Edward J. Van Kloberg III, August 22, 1985, as well as a disclosure statement, December 28, 1987, filed at the Department of Justice.

90. Johnson, "U.S. Adamant"

91. Patrick E. Tyler, "Kurds Disappoint Iraqi PR Etfort." Washington Post, September 18, 1988, p. A30.

92. Middle East Watch, Human Rights in Iraq, p. 109.

93. "Iraqi CW Use: Ambassadors Meeting with Hantdun," secret cable from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad to Secretary of State George Shultz, September 10, 1988, sec. 1, p. 3, and sec. 2, pp. 2, 3; reproduced as 00634 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraggate.

94. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Chemical Weapons Use in Kurdistan: Iraq's Final Offensive, pp. 14-26.

95. Abramowitz, "Iraq's Use of Chemical Weapons on the Kurds."

96. Congressional Record, 100th Cong., 2nd sess., 1988, 134, pt. 122:512035.

97. Ibid., pt. 123:512136.

98. Senator Claiborne Pet, press conference, September 21, 1988, announcing the release of Galbraith's report for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

99. Legislation to Impose Sanctions Against Iraqi Chemical (se, Markup Before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, 100th Cong., 2nd sess., 1988, 134, p. 15.

100. Congressional Record, 100th Cong., 2nd sess., 1988, 134, pt. I23:S12136.

101. William Safire,"Stop the Iraqi Murder of the Kurds," New York Times, September 5, 1988, p. A21.

102. Ibid.

103. "Murder Within Sovereign Borders," New York Times, September 5, 1988, p. A20.

104. Jim Hoagland, "Make No Mistake-This Is Genocide," Washington Post, September 8, 1988, p. A21.

105. Jim Hoagland, "A 'Firlough' for Iraq." Washington Post, October 12, 1988, p.A19; emphasis added.

106. "Too Tough on Iraq:" Washington Post, September 20, 1988, p.A20.

107. Pamela Fessler, "Congress and Iraq: A Chronology of a Decade's Debate over Relations," Congressional Quarterly, Ayril 27, 1991, p. 1071.

108. "Overview of US-Iraq Relations and Political Pressure Points;' secret internal paper drafted by the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs/North Gulf Affairs, September 9, 1988, p. 2; reproduced as 00632 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraggate.

1(19. Responding to assurances from the administration that Iraq was sincere in its pledge to forswear future use, Senator Pell asked, "Can we really be expected to overlook the gassing of thousands of people on the basis of an assurance that is itself predicated on a lie?" Congressional Record, 100th Cong., 2nd sess., 1988, 134, pt. 144:S15574.

1111. State Department briefing, Federal News Service, September 20, 1988.

111. Legislation to Impose Sanctions Against Iraqi Chemical Use, p. 19.

112. Ibid., p. 20.

113. James A. Baker III ssith Thomas M. DeFrank, The Politics of Diplomacy: Revolution, W r and Peace, 1989-1992 (NewYork: G. P Putnam's Sons, 1995), p. 273.

114. See, for example,"Kurdistan Resistance Forces at Peril," cable from the Defense Intelligence Agency, October 24, 198£x; reproduced as 00683 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraqgate.

115. "Overview of U.S.-Iraq Relations and Political Pressure Points," p. 1.

116. "U.S. Policy Towards Iraq and CW Use," secret action memorandum from Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Richard Murphy to Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Michael Armacost, September 19, 1988, pp. 1-2, 5; reproduced as 00650 in National Security Archive, ed., IragQate.

117. "Overview of US-Iraq Relations and Political Pressure Points," p. 3.

118. "After U.S. Actions, Saddam Changes His Tone," confidential cable from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad to Secretary of State George Shultz, September 12, 1988, p. 2; reproduced as 00635 in National Security Archive, ed., IragQate.

119. Milton Viorst, "Poison Gas and 'Genocide': The Shaky Case Against Iraq," Washington Post, October 5, 1988, p. A25.

120. "U.S. Policy Towards Iraq and CW Use," pp. 1-2, 5.

121. George Shultz, remarks to board of directors of the General Federation ofWomen's Clubs, State Department, September 9, 1988.

122. Marlin Fitzwater, press conference, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, September 26, 1988. In the event, the conference was held in Paris in January 1989, and far from censuring Iraq, the closing declaration simply reaffirmed "the importance and continuing validity" of the 1925 pro- tocol.The Kurds themselves were barred from attending the conference, which was open only to states. And the United States ignored Human Rights Watch's request that it raise the matter of amending the 1925 protocol so that it explicitly barred states from using chemical weapons against their own citizens. Middle East Watch, Human Rights in Iraq, pp. 112-113.

123. Patrick E. Tyler, The Kurds: Its Not Genocide," Washington Post, September 25, 1988, p. A20.

124. Simande Siaband [Mehrdad Izady],"Mountains, My Home: An Analysis of the Kurdish Psychological Landscape," Kurdish Times 2 (Summer 1988): 7, 9, cited in Michael M. Gunter, The Kurds of Iraq: Tragedy and Hope (New York: St. Martin's, 1992), p. 35.

125. "Export-Import Financing for Iraq;' confidential action memorandum from Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Murphy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Larson, and Assistant Secretary of State for Humanitarian Affairs Schifter to Secretary of State Shultz, December 12, 1988, p. 5; reproduced as 00739 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraggate.

126. Developments in the Middle East, October 1988, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, 100th Cong., 2nd sess., October 13, 1988, pp. 31 and 43. Opponents of the bill on Capitol Hill were also careful not to appear to condone Iraqi behavior. The statement of Agricultural Committee chairman E. "Kika" de la Garza (D.-Tex.) is telling. He noted that Iraq was a "large and growing market for U.S. agricultural exports.... In light of the difficulties that our nation's farmers have faced over the past few years, I am deeply concerned over any possible loss of a major market for U.S. agricultural commodities. At the same time, I in no way wish to condone the use of chemical weapons by Iraq or any other country." Congressional Record, 100th Cong., 2nd sess., 1988, 134, pt. 133:H8343.

127. And the influence of lobbies has only increased. Long past are the days when Congressman John Steven McGroarty of California would write a constituent (in 1934):"One of the countless drawbacks of being in Congress is that I am compelled to receive impertinent letters from a jackass like you in which you say I promised to have the Sierra Madre mountains reforested and I have been in Congress two months and haven't done it. Will you please take two running jumps and go to hell." John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage (New York: Harper, 1956), p. 10.

128. Walter Lippmann, The Public Philosophy (Boston: Little, Brown, 1955), p. 27.

129. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage, p. 122.

130. See Galbraith, Iraq Sanctions Legislation, p. 14. He argued that because the oil imported from Iraq was subject to an import levy, the sanctions would reduce treasury revenues, thus rendering the sanctions bill a revenue bill. In fact, since oil imports from Iraq would have been replaced by those from other countries, net import fees would not have been affected. If Rostenkowski's claim had been carried to its logical conclusion, virtually no legislation could have originated in the Senate. Laws requiring warning labels on alcohol, for instance, would have reduced pregnant women's liquor intake and thus lowered distilled spirits excise tax revenues.

131. Congressional Record, 100th Cong., 2nd less., 1988, 134, pt. 151:517203.

132. See, for example, Gordon M. Burck and Charles C. Flowerree, International Handbook on Chemical Weapons Proliferation (New York: Greenwood Press, 1991), pp. 101-114.

133. Elaine Sciolino, "U.S. Retaliates for Iraqi Expulsion of Diplomat by Replying in Kind," New York Times, November 18, 1988, p. A15.

134. Middle East Watch, Hurnan Rights in Iraq, p. 110.

135. Middle East Watch, Genocide in Iraq, p. 299.

136. Ibid., pp. 306-307.

137. Letter no. 14951, slated November 23, 1988, from the Security Secretariat for the Autonomous Region to the Security Bureau for Sulaymaniyah, citing instructions of the Northern Bureau Command. Cited in Middle East Watch, Genocide in Iraq, pp. 300-301.

138. Statements from a November 8, 1988, meeting relayed to Amn (the internal Iraq security force) chiefs in the autonomous regions in a set of instructions from the region's security director, dated November 21, 1988, and marked "secret and confidential." Cited in Middle East Watch, Genocide in Iraq, p. 321.

139. Middle East Watch, Genocide in Iraq, pp. 323-324.

140. Cited in ibid., pp. 352-353.

141. "Guidelines for U.S.-Iraq Policy," secret State Department internal paper, January 20, 1989, p. 2; reproduced as 00761 in National Security Archive, ed., Iraggate.

142. Baker and DeFrank, The Politics of Diplomacy, p. 263.

143. Ibid.

144. "Guidelines for U.S.-Iraq Policy," p. 6.

145. Middle East Watch, Hurnan Rights in Iraq, p. 113. The resolution was defeated 13-17. See United Nations Economic and Social Council, Commission on Human Rights, Official Records, supplement nc. 2, Report on the 45th Session (30January-10 March 1989), E/1989/20, E/CN.4/1989/86, p. 17 3.

146. Pamela Fessler, "Congress' Record on Saddam: Decade of Talk, Not Action," Congressional Quarterly, April 27, 199" , p. 1074.

147. See Alan Cowell, "Iraq Chief, Boasting of Poison Gas, Warns of Disaster If Israelis Strike," New York Tines, April 3, 1990, p. Al; Patrick E. Tyler, "Iraqi Warns of Using Poison Gas; Leader Says Attacker Faces Devastation; U.S. Decries Remarks," Washington Post, April 3, 1990, p. Al.

148. The five-member delegation, which met with Hussein on April 12, 1990, included Dole, Simpson, Ohio Democrat Howard Metzenbaum, Idaho Republican James McClure, and Alaska Republican Frank Murkowski. Although they handed Hussein a letter at the start of the meeting that stated their "deep concerns" about his military buildup and threats to use chemical weapons against Israel, the meeting was more fawning than demanding. After the invasion of Kuwait, the Iraqis released a transcript of the meeting that the senators did not dispute. According to the transcript, Metzenbaum said, "I am now aware that you are a strong and intelligent man and that you want peace." Simpson stated,"I believe that your problems lie with the Western media and not with the U.S. government.... The press is spoiled and conceited. All these journalists consider themselves brilliant political scientists. They do not want to see anything succeeding or achieving its objectives. My advice is that you allow those bastards to come here and see things for themselves." Douglas Waller, "Glass House," The New Republic, November 5, 1990, p. 14. See also Pamela Fessler, "Haunted by a Meeting with Saddam," Congressional Quarterly, April 27, 1991, p. 1077.