* * * * *
                                        
        It was 20 years ago today, that Rumsfeld taught Saddam to play …
                                        
> “Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein,” Iraqi President Saddam Hussein greets
> Donald Rumsfeld, then special envoy of President Ronald Reagan, in Baghdad
> on December 20, 1983. …
> 
> Rumsfeld also met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz, and the two
> agreed, “the U.S. and Iraq shared many common interests.” Rumsfeld affirmed
> the Reagan administration's “willingness to do more” regarding the Iran-
> Iraq war, but “made clear that our efforts to assist were inhibited by
> certain things that made it difficult for us, citing the use of chemical
> weapons, possible escalation in the Gulf, and human rights.” He then moved
> on to other U.S. concerns. Later, Rumsfeld was assured by the U.S.
> interests section that Iraq's leadership had been “extremely pleased” with
> the visit, and that “Tariq Aziz had gone out of his way to praise Rumsfeld
> as a person.”
> 

A long article about that famous picture of Donald Rumsfeld shaking hands
with Saddam Hussein. It's a balanced account, pretty much going into details
(great detail) about the entire trip Rumsfeld made at Reagan's request.

My, now times have changed … 


Email Sean Conner at sean@conman.org

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