With Friends Like These: Reagan, Bush, and Saddam, 1982-1990

Based on interviews and official documents, Jentleson's scholarly study charges that Washington's policy toward Baghdad from 1982 was flawed in conception and execution. He argues that Desert Storm was a direct consequence of the failure of U.S. policy as pursued by the Reagan and Bush administrations. In its attempt to tilt the balance of power against Iran with an alliance of convenience with Iraq, Washington naively expected the Iraqis to cease fomenting terrorism, become a force for regional stability and play a role in an Arab-Israeli peace settlement. Instead, Saddam Hussein icreased his support of terrorism, threatened to incinerate Israel, used chemical weapons against Iranians and Kurds and tried to build an arsenal that included nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. The Bush administration continued to ignore warnings of Saddam's escalating bellicosity until August 2, 1990, when he invaded Kuwait. Jentleson teaches political science at UC-Davis. (Oct.)