Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (file photo)

Military Reduces Presence in Gulf
Wednesday, May 27, 1998; Page A01
The Clinton administration, which sent dozens of extra bombers and thousands of soldiers and sailors to intimidate Iraq during a showdown in the Persian Gulf in February, has begun withdrawing the additional forces and returning to "pre-crisis" levels of military strength in the region.

April Stories

Iraq Wants to Set Limit On Weapons Inspections
Wednesday, April 29, 1998; Page A10
Contradicting U.N. officials, Iraqi's foreign minister said that an agreement negotiated by Secretary General Kofi Annan to permit weapons searches of previously off-limits presidential buildings does not entitle inspectors to an unlimited number of visits over an indefinite period.

U.S. Weighing Cut In Gulf Forces
Wednesday, April 29, 1998; Page A10
Senior administration officials have begun considering whether to reduce U.S. military forces in the Persian Gulf, but remain undecided as they weigh conflicting concerns about keeping the pressure on Iraq while relieving the strain on Pentagon operations and budgets.

U.S. Rejects Move to Ease Iraq Policy
Tuesday, April 28, 1998; Page A13
The Security Council noted U.N. weapons inspectors' inability to obtain information about Iraq's chemical and biological weapons and agreed to continue the sanctions it has imposed on Iraq for almost eight years.

Iraq Sanctions Stir Debate
Saturday, April 25 1998; Page A13
Members of the United Nations Security Council remain as sharply divided over the future of economic sanctions against Iraq as they were at the height of the crisis.

Report: Iraq Weapons Probe Makes Little Headway
Saturday, April 18, 1998; Page A13
The chief U.N. weapons inspector said Friday that a recent four-month confrontation with Iraq caused the United Nations to make "virtually no progress" over the last six months in determining whether the Iraqis have done away with prohibited weapons programs.

No Weapons Found at Iraqi Sites, Report Says
Wednesday, April 15, 1998; Page A10
A report by U.N. experts says the first inspection of formerly off-limits Iraqi presidential buildings revealed no sign of prohibited weapon systems but warns that attempts at further inspections could encounter Iraqi resistance, U.N. sources said.

UN Teams Find No Sign of Iraqi Nuclear Arms
Tuesday, April 14, 1998; Page A11
U.N. weapons experts said Monday their most recent inspections of sites in Iraq, including formerly off-limits presidential buildings, have revealed no signs that Iraq possesses prohibited nuclear weapons or materiel.

UN: Iraq Arms Reports Incomplete
Friday, April 10, 1998; Page A20
Iraq continues to conceal the scope of its biological weapons program and has failed to account for the missiles that can deliver the deadly agents, a U.N. report said.

March Stories

Iraq Jails Germ Warfare Scientist
Wednesday, March 25, 1998; Page A27
The government of Iraq has said that it recently jailed a prominent, U.S.-trained scientist who helped create Iraq's germ warfare program after determining that he was preparing to leave the country carrying sensitive documents about the program.

Bay of Pigs Redux
Newsweek Issue of March 23, 1998
The story of "Bob" and how he worked with the CIA to incite revolution in northern Iraq and ultimately overthrow Saddam Hussein, highlights the mixed signals and fatal misunderstandings that led to one of the worst CIA fiascoes since the Bay of Pigs.

In Iraq, Slightly Free Press Eases Pressure
Sunday, March 22, 1998; Page A27
To survive the sanctions imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the government has realized that the stiffer the controls imposed from outside, the bigger the need to allow for breathing space in a country long ruled by secrecy and the suppression of individuality.

Iraq Cooperating on Inspections
Friday, March 20, 1998; Page A27
Nearly a month after Iraq made fresh promises of access for United Nations weapons inspectors, the Baghdad government by all accounts is living up to its word for now. The results, said American and British officials at the core of the special U.N. panel's support, are decidedly a mixed blessing for the inspectors.

Senate Urges U.N. Tribunal for Saddam Hussein
Saturday, March 14, 1998; Page A19
The Senate voted without dissent Friday to urge creation of an international tribunal to try Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as a war criminal. Passage of the non-binding resolution followed the Senate's failure to agree on a broader resolution on U.S. policy toward Iraq.

Annan: Ambassadors May Visit Iraq
Tuesday, March 10, 1998; Page A18
The U.N. secretary general plans to propose sending ambassadors to Iraq. Monday, he submitted to the Security Council the detailed rules governing the inspections at the eight presidential sites under the agreement he negotiated in Baghdad.

Annan Says Consultation Needed for Iraq Strike
Monday, March 9, 1998; Page A15
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said that the United States would need to consult with the U.N. Security Council before mounting a military strike against Iraq.

U.S. Glad Annan Chooses Sri Lankan as Iraq Envoy
Sunday, March 8, 1998; Page A25
Secretary General Kofi Annan has chosen Sri Lankan Jayantha Dhanapala as the U.N. envoy to Baghdad who will oversee weapons inspections of so-called presidential sites. U.S. officials had feared the post would go to someone less sympathetic to their position.

Pentagon Moves Up Inoculation Timetable
Wednesday, March 4, 1998; Page A18
The Pentagon accelerated plans to vaccinate all U.S. forces against anthrax, saying troops in the Persian Gulf would begin receiving shots this week in response to a request by the top American commander.

U.N. Security Council Warns Iraq on Inspections
Tuesday, March 3, 1998; Page A1
The U.N. Security Council warned Iraq that it faces "the severest consequences" if it breaks the agreement worked out by Secretary General Kofi Annan for unobstructed weapons inspections.

Former U.N. Inspector Wary of Iraq Accord
Monday, March 2, 1998; Page A12
Former chief United Nations weapons inspector David Kay said Sunday that the agreement with Iraq hammered out by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is "a serious impediment to effective inspections."

U.S. Threat on Iraq Masked Doubts
Sunday, March 1, 1998; Page A01
As confrontation with Iraq neared the brink last month, the misgivings of President Clinton and his national security team grew in tandem with the intensity of their threats, say some insiders.

Annan Visit Brings Hope to Iraqis
Sunday, March 1, 1998; Page A01
Many Iraqis consider last week's visit by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan a potential turning point in their country's long struggle to shed its pariah status and rejoin the modern world.

Radio Free Iraq Proposal Gains Momentum
Sunday, March 1, 1998; Page A17
Establishing Radio Free Iraq, one of the simpler undertakings associated with overt and covert efforts to force Iraqi President Saddam Hussein out of power, is beginning to move forward on Capitol Hill and within the Clinton administration.

February Stories

Three on Security Council Oppose Automatic Trigger
Saturday, February 28, 1998; Page A20
A U.S.-backed drive for a Security Council resolution that would allow the United States to subject Iraq to "very severe consequences" if it breaks its agreement for U.N. weapons inspections ran into opposition today from Russia, France, China and other countries.

U.N.'s Man of Peace
Saturday, February 28, 1998; Page C01
En route to fateful one-on-one negotiations with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, with war and peace hanging in the balance, Kofi Annan did something entirely typical -- he took a nap. He is well-known as a man of tranquility.

Inspection Chief Counters GOP Criticism of Accord
Friday, February 27, 1998; Page A29
The chief U.N. weapons inspector joined Secretary General Kofi Annan to refute charges by some Republicans that Annan's agreement with Iraq weakens the ability to search out prohibited Iraqi weapons programs.

Analysis: Iraq Split Highlights Europe's Disunity
Friday, February 27, 1998; Page A29
The European Union steered a wobbly diplomatic course during the Iraqi crisis that betrayed the continent's persistent clash of national interests.

Lott Criticizes Iraq Deal as 'Appeasement'
Thursday, February 26, 1998; Page A22
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) spoke out against the U.N.-Iraq weapons inspection agreement, delivering the strongest criticism thus far by a Republican congressional leader.

Iraqi Says Agreement May Help End Isolation
Thursday, February 26, 1998; Page A23
Iraq's deputy foreign minister said that this week's accord on weapons inspections shows that his country has turned a corner in breaking its isolation on the world stage.

Group Calls for End to Iraq Sanctions
Thursday, February 26, 1998; Page A23
A national coalition of religious leaders and laymen called upon fellow Christians to pray for more lasting peace between Iraq and the United States. They also urged leaders to end U.N. economic sanctions imposed against Iraq in 1990.

Editorial: Reversing Course on Iraq
Thursday, February 26, 1998; Page A14
In the agreement reached between Kofi Annan and Saddam Hussein, two stout U.S. principles – that Saddam Hussein should have no say over the composition of inspections teams and that the inspectors should report only to the U.N. Security Council – have fallen by the wayside.

Annan Predicts Success; U.S. Has Questions
Wednesday, February 25, 1998; Page A01
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan predicted that the agreement with Iraq about weapons inspections would succeed. But U.S. officials questioned whether it will really help find Iraq's banned weapons.

Analysis: Accord Is Spare on Details
Wednesday, February 25, 1998; Page A22
Clinton administration officials have said they still have key concerns about what the Iraqi accord means and how it might affect inspections.

Clinton Tentatively Approves Deal
Tuesday, February 24, 1998; Page A1
President Clinton tentatively endorsed a new Iraqi agreement to permit weapons inspections but said he would keep U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf to ensure that the Baghdad government delivers on the promise.

Other U.S. Security Commitments Strained
Tuesday, February 24, 1998; Page A17
Even as the prospect of imminent U.S. airstrikes against Iraq diminished, the Pentagon was confronting another problem: how to sustain the recent buildup in the Persian Gulf region without severely straining security commitments elsewhere in the world.

Iraqis Pleased With Pact
Tuesday, February 24, 1998; Page A17
Iraqis are expressing widespread relief over the agreement to allow weaspons inspections. They say the outcome has hastened progress toward lifting of the crippling international trade embargo imposed in 1990.

World Leaders Hail Accord
Tuesday, February 24, 1998; Page A18
World leaders hailed the agreement between Iraq and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan today, saying it would avert a military strike on Baghdad, but many expressed caution about the details and promised to give the pact close scrutiny.

Accord Leaves U.S. Officials Uneasy
Tuesday, February 24, 1998; Page A17
Skepticism, not jubilation, was the dominant mood at the White House. For weeks, Clinton and his team have said over and again that they preferred diplomacy to war, but now that a diplomatic solution is at hand, the president and his advisers were frank in acknowledging their doubts that the achievement will prove lasting.

Both Iraq and U.N. Gain Concessions
Tuesday, February 24, 1998; Page A18
Both the United Nations and the government of Iraq appeared yesterday to have given up key ground to resolve the long-running dispute over the right of U.N. inspectors to search anywhere in Iraq for documents and equipment related to weapons of mass destruction.

Editorial: A Dubious Agreement
Tuesday, February 24, 1998; Page A20
By the test that counts most – ending Saddam Hussein's special-weapons threat – the pact negotiated by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan remains dubious and unproven.

Sandy Berger, Reluctant Warrior
Tuesday, February 24, 1998; Page C1
Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger is a behind-the-scenes guy who opposed the Vietnam War. Now, as President Clinton's national security adviser, he is in the spotlight as one of the White House's chief mouthpieces on Iraq.

Annan, Iraq Reach Agreement
Monday, February 23, 1998; Page A01
Against a backdrop of threatened U.S. airstrikes, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan reached an agreement with senior Baghdad officials that he believes could end the crisis over U.N. inspections of suspected Iraqi weapons sites, his spokesman said.

U.S. Weighs Steps if Deal Fails
Monday, February 23, 1998; Page A15
Having assembled a mighty force to strike Iraq, Clinton administration officials began grappling with the potentially awkward question of how to react if a United Nations-brokered diplomatic deal meets some, but not all, U.S. demands.

U.S. Cautious on Backing Saddam's Foes
Monday, February 23, 1998; Page A14
Encouraging the Iraqi opposition to initiate a civil war as a way of removing Saddam Hussein "sounds – but is not – simple," according to Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.

Iran Sides With Former Enemy Against U.S.
Monday, February 23, 1998; Page A15
An outsider might suppose that the bitter memory of Iraq's 1980 invasion of Iran, which led to eight years of war, would make Iran eager for the United States to punish Iraqi President Saddam Hussein militarily in the standoff over United Nations weapons inspections. Not so. Tehran has opposed the use of force against neighboring Iraq.

Violent Protests in Jordan Signal Region's Unease
Monday, February 23, 1998; Page A12
Over the past three days, the violence in Maan, a desert town in southern Jordan, has become a warning sign of the dangers of violent backlash in the Middle East in response to a possible attack on Iraq by the United States and Britain.

Exiles: U.S. Must Want to Keep Saddam
Monday, Feburary 23, 1998
Many Iraqi exiles in Great Britain believe that Americans don't really want Saddam Hussein out, but rather want him there to keep Arab countries disunited, providing a Gulf market for U.S. arms suppliers.

U.N. Chief Meets With Iraqi Leaders
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page A01
In "difficult" talks aimed at averting a U.S. military strike, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan met into the early hours today with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.

Clinton Struggles to Make Case for Bombing
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page A01
President Clinton has yet to articulate the case for military action in Iraq. Aides deny the Monica Lewinsky controversy will hamper efforts to gain public backing for airstrikes.

Iraqis Wait for Return of War
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page A01
Iraqis express a mixture of anger, helplessness and passivity in the face of an American military threat they are powerless to stop.

Poison, Germ Weapons Not Direct Targets
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page A28
If the United States bombs Iraq, poison gas and germ weapons will not be the prime target. The reason: U.S. military planners do not know where these suspected weapons are.

Unconventional Weapons: What Iraq May Have in Its Arsenal
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page A28
The United Nations and United States suspect Iraq still holds dangerous amounts of chemical and biological "weapons of mass destruction." Here is a look at what Iraq may have in its arsenal.

In Suburban Maryland, a Bulwark of Defense
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page A28
Fort Detrick is the focal point for U.S. efforts to defend against biological warfare. The innocuous-looking installation, covering 1,200 acres in the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains at the north end of the city of Frederick, is home to the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.

About 2,000 Protest Outside White House
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page A29
About 2,000 banner-waving protesters rallied outside the White House to denounce President Clinton's threat of a U.S. military strike against Iraq.

Pro-Iraqi, Anti-U.S. Demonstrations Grow in Mideast
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page A29
Protests against threatened U.S. airstrikes on Iraq continued in Jordan and several other Middle Eastern countries, raising the prospect of an anti-U.S. backlash in the event of bombing.

From Outlook:

Lee Hamilton, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on International Relations, and Steven Luxenberg, editor of Outlook, discuss their views on Iraq:

What's Missing is a Stronger Justification From the President
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page C01
While the administration has begun to lay the groundwork for public support of its policy, the president must explain how his policy directly serves the U.S. national interest.

Where is Congress as We Contemplate War with Iraq?
Sunday, February 22, 1998; Page C01
Whatever became of congressional debate? Ever since military action against Iraq became likely, Congress has been missing in action.

Saddam May Be Weaker Than He Seems
Saturday, February 21, 1998; Page A1
Saddam Hussein's assessment of the risks to his safety and to his regime are likely to be the main factors in his decision on whether to accept a solution to the weapons crisis.

U.N. Chief Launches Baghdad Mission
Saturday, February 21, 1998; Page A1
Kofi Annan has said that he will not undercut the principle of free access to suspect facilities. But it was unclear Friday how far he will go to work out a compromise that is acceptable to both Iraq and the United Nations.

Clinton: Saddam Bears Blame for Strike
Saturday, February 21, 1998; Page A14
President Clinton sent a videotaped message to Arab countries warning that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein "must bear full responsibility for every casualty" resulting from threatened U.S. military action against Iraq.

Clinton: Public Backs Attack
Friday, February 20, 1998; Page A01
President Clinton warned Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein that Americans have the resolve for military action, as a new poll showed strong public support for bombing Iraq.

Panels Reject Iraqi Claims on Arms
Friday, February 20, 1998; Page A19
Experts from nine countries have endorsed recent claims by the United Nations that Iraq could have a clandestine stockpile of deadly chemical arms and has not met requirements for disclosing data on weapons.

Prospect of Strike Spurs Israelis to Flee
Friday, February 20, 1998; Page A18
Frightened of the prospect of a new war in the Persian Gulf – and the chance of Iraqi retaliation against the Jewish state – Israelis have booked practically every airplane heading west beginning Sunday.

Officials Heckled at Iraq Seminar
Thursday, February 19, 1998; Page A01
A team led by Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright was shouted down, booed and cross-examined by a raucous crowd that was markedly skeptical of its government's intentions in the Persian Gulf.

Audience Shakes Up Trusted Forum
Thursday, February 19, 1998; Page A22
The hostile "town meeting" crowd taught President Clinton's top foreign policy advisers that even a trusted format for communicating with the American people has limits.

Annan: Iraq Trip Is Last Chance
Thursday, February 19, 1998; Page A23
On the eve of his trip to Iraq, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said that although his mission is difficult, he sees some encouraging signs that a last-minute solution to the weapons inspection crisis is possible.

U.S. Troops in Kuwait Prepare for War
Thursday, February 19, 1998; Page A01
At Jabir Air Base, extra personnel and frenetic work schedules are tangible signs of the accumulation of U.S. air power in the Persian Gulf region since the confrontation over U.N. weapons inspections began.

In Dayton, Resigned Support for Airstrikes on Iraq
Thursday, February 19, 1998; Page A22
A clear majority of Dayton, Ohio, residents said they are ready to back the use of military force in the showdown with Saddam Hussein. But some doubters are not persuaded that military action is justified.

Senator: Altering Assassination Ban May Increase Pressure on Iraq
Thursday, February 19, 1998; Page A22
Sen. Charles S. Robb (D-Va.) said that if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein remains in power after a military assault and continues to be defiant, the United States should consider changing an executive order forbidding the assassination of foreign leaders.

U.S. Threats Stir Wide Opposition in Jordan
Thursday, February 19, 1998; Page A23
In Jordan, worries about economic repercussions, a tide of refugees from Iraq and other potential problems are spurring strong opposition to a U.S. military strike on Iraq.

U.N. Cuts Staff in Iraq
Thursday, February 19, 1998; Page A23
The United Nations announced that it will reduce the size of its staff in Iraq as the possibility of a U.S.-led attack draws nearer.

Clinton Makes Case for Strike
Wednesday, February 18, 1998; Page A01
President Clinton offered his most detailed case yet to explain why curtailing Iraq's weapons programs is worth going to war.

$2 Billion Bomber Sits in Wings
Wednesday, February 18, 1998; Page A01
The B-2 bomber is ready to fly in a raid against Iraq – but will it? The question reveals much about Pentagon politics.

FBI Probed Allegations of CIA Plot
Wednesday, February 18, 1998; Page A15
Iran's description an alleged CIA-financed plot to kill Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in 1995 triggered an unusual FBI probe into whether the CIA violated a U.S. ban on involvement in political assassinations, officials said.

As Usual, Turkish Base Keeping Eye on Iraq
Wednesday, February 18, 1998; Page A15
It's business as usual at Incirlik Air Base, NATO's southernmost air power staging point. That's because personnel monitor Iraq every day, watching over its "no-fly" zone.

Militant Group Threatens Israel
Wednesday, February 18, 1998; Page A15
The Islamic group Hamas said it would strike Israel if the United States attacks Iraq, nudging the Jewish state closer to panic.

U.S. Hampers U.N. Chief's Iraq Plans
Tuesday, February 17, 1998; Page A01
The United States blocked approval for a trip to Baghdad by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, who was in search of a diplomatic solution to the standoff. He said he would delay his trip in the hopes of winning support from the U.S.

Raids May Strike at Power Structure
Tuesday, February 17, 1998; Page A01
As President Clinton and his top advisers embark this week on what amounts to a marketing campaign for airstrikes on Iraq, the trend in their evolving war plan goes well beyond the emphasis in public on damaging prohibited weapons programs.

U.S. Strikes Also Would Aim at Conventional Forces
Monday, February 16, 1998; Page A01
Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said that the targets of U.S. airstrikes against Iraq would include not only sites thought to contain Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's suspected nonconventional weapons of mass destruction but also those housing conventional military forces that he could use to threaten his neighbors.

U.N. Weapons Inspectors ... or Spies?
Monday, February 16, 1998; Page A01
Analysis: Is there any truth to Baghdad's claims that Washington has used its influence to skew the focus and conclusions of the inspections to prepare for strikes like the one now threatened?

'Fired Up' and Biding Time in Iraqi Skies
Monday, February 16, 1998; Page A17
As the United States and Britain complete a massive military buildup in the gulf, they are treating every surveillance flight over southern Iraq as a practice run for potential bombing missions.

Iraqi Dissidents Plan Provisional Government
Monday, February 16, 1998; Page A21
Iraqi dissidents are trying to form a provisional government that would be ready to take over if President Saddam Hussein is forced from power or killed, say dissidents and Western officials.

Air War on Iraq Would Be Similar To Desert Storm
Sunday, February 15, 1998; Page A01
According to a variety of accounts, the first night's attack on Iraq likely would resemble the one that inaugurated Desert Storm at 3 a.m. Baghdad time on Jan. 18, 1991.

Iraq Benefiting From Standoff
Saturday, February 14, 1998; Page A01
As a result of the latest crisis, Saddam Hussein has enhanced diplomatic ties between Iraq and other Arab countries, including such longtime foes as Egypt and Syria, sharply boosted his stature among the Arab masses and driven a wedge between the United States and Russia.

Russian Rebukes U.S. Over Iraq
Friday, February 13, 1998; Page A01
Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev forcefully lectured Defense Secretary William S. Cohen about America's "tough and uncompromising" stand on Iraq, warning against hasty judgments and short-lived military victories and expressing "deep concern" about future U.S.-Russian relations if the United States takes military action against Iraq.

Document Indicates Illicit Russia-Iraq Deal
Thursday, February 12, 1998; Page A01
United Nations inspectors last fall uncovered what they considered unsettling evidence of a 1995 agreement by Russia to sell Iraq sophisticated fermentation equipment that could be used to develop biological weapons, according to sources.

U.S. Rejects Iraqi Plan for Inspections
Thursday, February 12, 1998; Page A34
The Clinton administration rejected out of hand yesterday an Iraqi proposal to allow limited weapons inspections at eight presidential sites in Iraq under the supervision of diplomats representing U.N. Security Council members.

Iraqi Opposition Groups At a Low Point
Thursday, February 12, 1998; Page A25
Iraqi opposition groups that critics of the Clinton administration's policy say should receive more support in the confrontation with President Saddam Hussein are at one of the lowest ebbs in their history, hit by defections, foreign aid cuts and Iraq's army and secret police.

New Weapons Give Navy Top Air Role
Thursday, February 12, 1998; Page A25
As the United States prepares for possible strikes against Iraq, Navy and Marine Corps pilots are set to fly the majority of missions in an operation code-named "Desert Thunder" that will hinge, by all accounts, on downpours of precision munitions.

Arab Allies Blame Crisis on Iraq's Obstinancy
Thursday, February 12, 1998; Page A33
American efforts to line up Arab support for military action against Iraq gained ground today as Persian Gulf allies unanimously blamed Baghdad for its standoff with the United Nations and Egypt's president warned that President Saddam Hussein's defiance of U.N. arms inspections could provoke a violent American response.

PLO Mutes Support for Saddam This Time
Tuesday, February 10, 1998; Page A14
The fallout from Iraq's defeat in the Gulf war took its toll on Palestinians economically and politically. Today, as another showdown in the Persian Gulf looms, many Palestinians still support Saddam Hussein. But this time, their leaders mostly are keeping their heads down.

Kuwaiti Leaders Eagerly Anticipate Strikes
Tuesday, February 10, 1998; Page A15
While many Arab governments are deeply skeptical about the wisdom of U.S. military action against Iraq, the leaders of Kuwait are brimming with excitement, even optimism, over a looming confrontation that they regard as the best opportunity in years to stamp out the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

Many Interlocking Issues Affect Support on Iraq Strike
Tuesday, February 10, 1998; Page A15
The Clinton administration's difficulty in winning international support for a military strike against Iraq has been compounded by links between the Iraq issue and several other critical but seemingly unrelated foreign policy decisions that are also on the table, according to senior officials.

U.S. to Avoid Strikes From Saudi Bases
Monday, February 9, 1998; Page A01
Confronted by Saudi Arabia's reluctance to back airstrikes against Iraq, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said today that the United States would avoid flying strike aircraft out of Saudi territory in the event military action is necessary but would expect to use U.S. support aircraft based in this desert kingdom.

U.S. Seeks Backing For Iraq Strike
Sunday, February 8, 1998; Page A01
Edging closer toward airstrikes against Iraq, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen met with his counterparts from Europe's four biggest nations today to enlist their support, as a U.S. congressional delegation here suggested that the extent of America's future commitment to NATO would hinge on European backing of the U.S. position on Iraq.

President Narrows Goals For Airstrikes
Saturday, February 7, 1998; Page A01
President Clinton said yesterday that the aim of an American-led bombardment of Iraq would be to "substantially reduce or delay" Iraq's ability to develop and use nonconventional weapons, the narrowest and most precise formulation to date of the administration's military objectives.

Iraq Rejects U.N.'s Latest Oil-for-Food Proposal
Saturday, February 7, 1998; Page A18
Iraq said that key parts of a U.N. proposal to double the amount of oil Baghdad can sell in exchange for food and medicine infringe on its sovereign rights and cannot be accepted.

Yeltsin Warns U.S. Again on Using Force
Friday, February 6, 1998; Page A36
Russian President Boris Yeltsin strongly warned the United States again against using force in Iraq, saying Russia "would not allow" a military strike and reiterating that it could lead to "world war."

Military Buildup in Gulf Continues
Friday, February 6, 1998; Page A35
A third aircraft carrier, the USS Independence, arrived in the Persian Gulf. Military officials also announced that 2,200 Marines on warships will be sent to the region.

U.S. Military Feels Strain of Buildup
Thursday, February 5, 1998; Page A06
The renewed buildup of sea and air forces in the gulf has led to less military presence in certain areas, and manpower and equipment gaps at some Air Force bases, according to officials.

Yeltsin Warns U.S. on Iraq
Thursday, February 5, 1998; Page A21
Russian President Boris Yeltsin warned the U.S. that an attack on Iraq could risk another world war. Russia prefers a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

At Home, Calls Grow Louder for Saddam Hussein's Removal
Thursday, February 5, 1998; Page A01
Foreign leaders and diplomats may be urging restraint on the Clinton administration in the showdown with Iraq, but a growing chorus at home is calling for stronger measures than the air attacks currently being planned, with the objective of bringing down President Saddam Hussein.

Netanyahu Moves To Allay Fears Of Iraqi Attack
Wednesday, February 4, 1998; Page A21
Faced with rising public tensions over the showdown in the Persian Gulf, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu insisted today that Israel is prepared for what he called an unlikely Iraqi attack.

Mideast Leaders Don't Deny U.S. Support on Iraq
Wednesday, February 4, 1998; Page A21
Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright said yesterday she will report to President Clinton that none of the six Arab leaders she consulted this week expressed outright opposition to the use of force against Iraq. A senior official traveling with her suggested that some were openly supportive in private.

France, Russia, Turkey Balking on Iraq
Tuesday, February 3, 1998; Page A13
As Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright continued her mission seeking the support of Persian Gulf states for possible air strikes against Iraq, Russia, France and Turkey intensified separate diplomatic initiatives aimed at averting military action.

Iraq Resolution Sends Chills Through Some in Congress
Tuesday, February 3, 1998; Page A13
The broad sweep of a Senate resolution urging President Clinton to "take all necessary and appropriate actions" against Iraq has stirred three-decades-old memories of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution that President Lyndon B. Johnson used to escalate U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

January Stories

If U.S. Military Strike Doesn't Sway Saddam, What's Next?
Thursday, January 29, 1998; Page A01
Preparing for what could be the biggest U.S. military strike since the 1991 Persian Gulf War and struggling to win international support for the use of force against Iraq, the Clinton administration has yet to decide what would follow a bombing campaign if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein refuses to back down, according to senior administration and military officials.

Decision to Strike Iraq Nears
Saturday, January 24, 1998; Page A01
President Clinton and his senior national security advisers have concluded that a military strike against Iraq is likely within a few weeks unless Iraqi President Saddam Hussein stops interfering with the work of U.N. weapons inspectors, according to highly placed U.S officials.

U.N. Urges Iraq to End Standoff
Thursday, January 15, 1998; Page A25
The Security Council today condemned Iraq's latest obstruction of U.N. weapons inspections and called on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to halt the confrontation that has brought Baghdad and the United Nations to the brink of renewed crisis.

U.S. Lines Up Backing for Iraq Face-Off
Wednesday, January 14, 1998; Page A01
The Clinton administration once again marshaled its international allies to present a unified front against Iraq yesterday as the Baghdad regime carried out its threat to block a U.S.-led weapons inspection team and reignited a crisis that has bedeviled Washington for months.

December Stories

Security Council Debate Reflects Continued Split on Iraq
Friday, December 19, 1997; Page A20
Faced with new evidence of Iraqi defiance, the Security Council today began a new round of debate over how to gain unrestricted access for U.N. inspectors into suspected Iraqi weapons sites. But it quickly became apparent that the 15-nation council is sharply divided about how to persuade President Saddam Hussein to cooperate.

U.N. Arms Inspector Says Iraq Still Blocks Access to Key Sites
Tuesday, December 16, 1997; Page A16
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Richard Butler said that his talks with Iraqi officials on dismantling Baghdad's weapons of mass destruction have yielded little progress. Butler, speaking after three hours of talks with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, said Iraq is insisting the inspection teams will not be allowed into "presidential sites" despite U.N. demands for unrestricted access throughout Iraq.

November Stories

Iraq Calls Some Areas Off-Limits
Monday, November 24, 1997; Page A01
Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, Nizar Hamdoon, said his government still does not recognize the right of U.N. inspection teams to enter certain sites inside Iraq, provoking senior U.S. officials to say that the dispute between Iraq and the international organization has not ended.

Iraq's Drive for a Biological Arsenal
Friday, November 21, 1997; Page A01
For the past two years, United Nations inspectors have crisscrossed Iraq in pursuit of 25 warheads that are filled with some of the world's deadliest germs and designed to fit atop medium-range missiles. But so far, the inspectors say, each lead has dissolved in a highly dubious tale about the warheads' fate.

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