Chapter 3 Summary and Analysis

In 1990, Clarke became Assistant Secretary of State for Politico-Military Affairs. He arranged a Deputies meeting after learning that Iraqi troops were operating "emcon." They concluded there would be no war. When Iraq did invade Kuwait, both President Bush and British Prime Minister Thatcher were concerned that, unless stopped, Saddam Hussein would next take over the Saudi oil fields.

Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney was given the task of persuading Saudi King Fahd to allow U.S. troops to use the Saudi bases to protect their oil. Although other members of the royal family raised objections, Fahd told Cheney that he trusted President G.H.W. Bush and to send the troops. The Saudis wanted other Arab governments involved: Clarke and Wolfewitz flew to the Middle East. The CIA's "corporate" position was that Iraq was only intimidating Kuwait to influence oil prices...