Reference Timeline for the Gulf War 1979 - 2000
by
Charles Brown

1979

• Ross, Wolfowitz and Kemp draft "Capabilities for Limited Contingencies in the Persian Gulf," a report on the growing Iraqi military threat.

• Iraq invades Iran, provoking the Iran-Iraq War, or First Gulf War

1981

• Israel attacks Iraq’s Osirak Nuclear Facility. Iraq invests heavily in anti-aircraft defenses.

1982

• Iraq’s ground forces are estimated to be 350,000 men in 12 divisions.

1983

• CENTCOM created. Headquartered in Tampa, FL. No troops to be assigned to CENTCOM; in case of war, it will have to borrow troops from other commands.
• US Navy establishes Strike Protection Evaluation and Anti-Air Research group (SPEAR). This group improves the USN’s tactical intelligence on Soviet and Third World threats after two USN aircraft are lost in Lebanon.

1984

• Turkey engages in war against PKK, making further influxes of Kurds patently unwelcome in Turkey.

• 10 of the 25 Finnish-built air raid shelters in Baghdad are reinforced for use by the Iraqi military.
• Bandar arranges Saudi funds to be channeled to Nicaraguan contras.

1986

• Iraq begins extensive biological weapons research (anthrax and botulinum) at Salman Pak.
• As soon as Iraqi military leadership establishes some autonomy from political leadership in directing military operations for the Iran-Iraq War effort, they are purged by the Hussein regime. Some were executed, others forcibly retired. This resulted in a political vacuum in Iraq that left no one able to stand up to Hussein.

1988

• Bandar secretly purchases Chinese medium range missiles for Saudi Arabia.

• Neither Saudis nor Kuwaitis allow CENTCOM Special Forces helicopters to land at ports during US re-flagging of Kuwaiti tankers.
• Construction of KARI anti-air defense system completed in Iraq by French contractors.
• Iraqi debt to Turkey is approximately $2 billion.

• 5,000 Kurds are arrested in Kirkuk alone. All remaining Kurds (mostly women and children) are expelled from the city.
• 55,000-60,000 Iraqi Kurdish refugees are allowed into Turkey to flee from the Anfal Campaign.

• Hussein orders use of mustard gas on Kurdish city of Halabja. 4,000 are killed.
• In the War of the Cities, Iraq and Iran lob more than 200 Scuds at one another.

• Iran-Iraq War ends. The day after the cease-fire comes into effect, Iraqi planes drop chemical bombs on the Kurds.
• Iraq’s ground forces estimated to be 1.1 million men in 56 divisions. This estimate was to be the official estimate of Iraqi ground strength until October 1990, but by then the numbers had grown stale and out of date.

• Several thousand Kurds are killed in Iraqi chemical attacks.

1989

• Vuono and Armitage nominate Schwarzkopf to head CENTCOM. Mustin is dismissed as candidate since he was not in favor of re-flagging Kuwaiti tankers.

• Powell appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• CIA and other intelligence agencies issue National Intelligence Estimate for Iraq that states that Iraq is not a threat to its neighbor states.
• Amnesty International reports that hundreds of Iraqi children had their eyes gouged out to elicit confessions from their parents.
• Iraqi Defense Minister Adnan Khairallah Tulfah is killed in a helicopter crash. It is widely believed in Iraq that this was a political assassination orchestrated by the Hussein regime. (Tulfah was Hussein’s first cousin.)
• Iraq pays $600 million of its Turkish debt in return for further credits.

• CENTCOM portrays Iraq as the enemy during Operation Internal Look exercises. State complains, fearing the political ramifications. A cover story is developed that the Iraq portrayed by CENTCOM is a future unfriendly Iraqi regime, not the current Iraqi regime.

• Crowe offers "National Military Strategy" that denigrates the importance of the Persian Gulf and CENTCOM. Cheney upgrades the importance of the Persian Gulf in his first "Defense Planning Guidance."

• Baker successfully presses White House to approve $1 billion worth of agricultural credits to Iraq despite a human rights record that was "abysmal."

1990

• Hussein states need for 50 infantry and armor divisions to protect Iraqi interests. (This is the same level of military build-up during the Iran-Iraq War.)

• Iraq demands that the US Navy leave the Persian Gulf.
• Iraq pays off its trade debt to Jordan by giving Jordan a substantial price break for oil imports.

• Iraq deploys Scud launchers within range of Israel and Syria.

• Hussein threatens Israel with chemical attack if it attacks Iraq.
• Bandar makes clandestine visit to Hussein.
• Sting operations catch Iraqi agents trying to purchase trigger mechanisms for the "Supergun."
• Iraq hangs London Observer journalist Farzad Bazoft as a British spy despite international protests.

• Allegations of corruption lead to a US investigation of the commodities credit program to Iraq. $500 million in grain sales canceled. Haass and John Kelly travel to Baghdad personally to inform Iraqi regime of cancellation.

• Israel warns Soyster, head of the DIA, about Iraq. Soyster in turn notified Powell that, "The Israelis want us to be aware that Iraq has a huge military force looking for something to do."

• Schwarzkopf assembles a secret battle plan, Operations Plan 1002-90: Defense of the Arabian Peninsula which is designed to protect Saudi Arabia from possible Iraqi attack. Operation Internal Look, a US war game, shows that Saudi Arabia could be defended against an Iraqi attack, but at a cost of nearly half of the troops deployed to Saudi Arabia.
• Arens and Mossad chief arrive in Washington to give Cheney detailed intelligence on Iraqi efforts in Europe to procure centrifuges needed to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons.

• Tariq Aziz sends letter to Arab league that equates Kuwait’s overproduction of oil with armed aggression against Iraq. The UAE is targeted in letter as well.
• Iraqi Ambassador al-Mashat assures David Mack that Iraq will not make war upon another Arab state.

• Hussein publicly threatens to use force to solve Iraq-Kuwait crisis.
• American diplomatic staff in the Persian Gulf ordered to inquire about GCC contingency plans for an Iraqi attack; Cairo and Amman embassies to determine what Iraq is to gain from its aggressive stand.

• Baker cables Glhtmlie to inquire about Iraq’s future intentions. Iraq gives no indications.
• CENTCOM circulates "Operations to Counter an Iraqi Regional Threat to the Arabian Peninsula," a defense plan for Saudi Arabia. Comments are due by 14 September.

• RG units arrive in Basra; DIA declares WATCHCON III.

• RG build-up in Basra reaches corps-level; DIA declares WATCHCON II.
• CENTCOM military recommendations ignored by JCS.
• Deputies Committee accelerates deployment of an aircraft carrier to Persian Gulf.
• Arab states reassure White House that Iraq-Kuwait crisis can be diffused within the Arab family; the matter is not pressed by White House.
• Operation Ivory Justice (US-UAE military exercises) launched.
• Saudi Arabia and Egypt complain at increased American military presence in Persian Gulf: worry that it will inflame the Iraq-Kuwait crisis.

• Glhtmlie meets with Hussein. Informs Hussein that "disputes should be settled by peaceful means, not through intimidation" but also says, "[the US has] no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait." Final diplomatic exchange between US-Iraq before Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
• Allen issues "Warning of War" between Iraq and Kuwait. Probability: 60%.
• Iraq orders satellite photos of Kuwait and northern Saudi Arabia from SPOT, a French commercial satellite reconnaissance firm.

• Allen & Thomas Lewis visit Haass to underscore "Warning of War."
• Glhtmlie recommends against tough stand against Iraq. This reinforces White House habit of underestimating Iraqi intentions.

• Eagleburger sends Glhtmlie a three-paragraph message to Iraq that in no way warns against invasion of Kuwait. Glhtmlie is to deliver the message orally by 30 July. Department of Defense is irate at the lightness of the message.

• CIA assessment of Iraq-Kuwait crisis states that Iraqi invasion is likely, but that the annexation of all of Kuwait is unlikely.

• Bush’s aides meet to consider a sterner warning to Baghdad.

• UN Security Council condemns Iraq’s invasion.
• The DIA creates a "Scud cell" to analyze and plan against Iraq’s Scuds.
• Bush was to announce in a speech in Aspen a 25% cut in the US military.
• Schwarzkopf meets with Cheney and JCS to discus military recommendations. Schwarzkopf thought that Iraqi attack would stop at Rumailia and Bubiyan Island.
• Kimmitt receives memo stating that the JCS oppose sending an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf.
• Cheney & Powell meet to discuss options. Cheney blows up at Powell when pressed to clearly state the political objectives of the US response to Iraq.
• Ross & Schevardnadze aide draft a joint US-USSR condemnation of the invasion.
• Bush prepares an executive order freezing Kuwaiti assets before Iraq can use them.
• United Nations Security Council passes resolution condemning invasion and calling for unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait.
• At National Security Council meeting Powell recommends against liberation of Kuwait as policy. Instead, he suggests that Saudi Arabia be defended. Pickering disagrees, worrying that US credibility would be harmed if annexation of Kuwait were accepted by US.
• Bush meets with Thatcher in Aspen. Thatcher the first to raise the comparison of Saddam to Hitler. Thatcher argues against Arab diplomatic initiatives.
• Bush offers Saudi Arabia a fighter plane squadron for protection, but offer is not responded to.
• Schwarzkopf wishes to deploy the 82^nd Airborne as a symbol of American resolve. Estimates 8-10 months to assemble a large enough force to successfully defend Saudi Arabia. Presidential advisors are shocked at the length of time necessary to assemble 100,000 troops.

• Plan known as "Punishment Air Tasking Order" drafted that would plan retaliation against Iraq for any use of chemical weapons against Israel or the coalition. A nuclear response is considered, but dismissed.
• The pentagon begins to deliberately play up US preparations for chemical warfare in effort to halt any Iraqi plans for using chemical weapons. Cheney hints at an Israeli nuclear response to any Iraqi chemical attack.
• Bush authorizes the CIA to help Iraqi dissidents overthrow Hussein.

• At National Security Council meeting Eagleburger calls for a rollback of the Iraqi invasion. Bush, Scowcroft and Cheney agree. Powell does not. Priority becomes to convince the Saudis to host an American expeditionary force.
• Bandar meets with Scowcroft. Bandar reluctant to recommend receiving American troops on Saudi soil. Reassured when Bush makes appearance at meeting.
• Mubarak informs Bush that Saudis would find American deployment of 100,000 troops on Saudi soil difficult to swallow.
• Webster advises Bush that that Iraqi forces are about to invade Saudi Arabia.

• Schwarzkopf presents defense plan to Bush and advisors at Camp David.

• UNSC imposes economic sanctions on Iraq. (Resolution 661)

• 5 Iraqi armored, 2 mechanized, and 4 infantry divisions are inside Kuwait by this time. 1 armored, 1 mechanized division are positioned along the Kuwait-Saudi Arabia border.
• Iraq cuts the "hot-line" between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Seen as a threatening gesture toward Saudi Arabia.

7 August: Operation DESERT SHIELD

• C-Day. Units deployed to Saudi Arabia.
• Schwarzkopf proposes "Operation Peninsula Shield" as name for staging operation. Later changed to "Operation Desert Shield."
• Israel asks for a command-and-control link to be set up between Washington and Tel Aviv.
• NSC and State refuse to allow Defense officials from meeting with Israeli officials out of fear of Arab reaction to US-Israeli cooperation.

• Initial USAF planes arrive in Saudi Arabia.
• Warden & Checkmate begin to plan an air offensive against Iraq that could be executed by the end of August. (Instant Thunder) Saddam Hussein himself is seen as a target whose removal would restore the peace in the region.

• Warden meets with Schwarzkopf in Tampa to propose Instant Thunder.
• Order to activate 17 transport ships in Ready Reserve Fleet given to transport war materiel to Saudi Arabia.

• Warden proposes Instant Thunder to Powell. Powell wants it refined to include all branches of the military, not just the USAF.

• 24^th mechanized Infantry begins to load its transport ships in Savannah, GA.

• 7^th Marine Expeditionary Force arrives in Saudi Arabia.

• First USMC MPS unload in Saudi Arabia with arms and equipment for the 7^th MEF.
• Iraq offers a proposal to Iran that offers to give up land won from Iran during the Iran-Iraq War in exchange for Iran not abiding by the UN sanctions regime.

• US to start enforcing sanctions by establishing a naval blockade of Iraq. France, Canada and the USSR all criticize the United States for unilaterally enforcing sanctions.

• Warden proposes the revised Instant Thunder to Schwarzkopf, who is so impressed that he asks Warden to present the plan to Horner.
• 101^st Airborne dispatches an aviation task force and an air assault brigade (totaling 3,000 soldiers) to Saudi Arabia.

• Five ships challenge the Iraqi embargo. The Bush cabinet is split over whether or not to interdict shipping without further mandate from the UNSC. Baker persuades Bush that they should wait for further authorization so they don’t alienate the Soviets.

• Warden and his aides arrive in Riyadh to present Instant Thunder to Horner. The briefing goes poorly as Horner is suspect of "the typical academic crap you’d expect out of Washington." Warden’s aides are invited to stay in Riyadh to revise the plan for use. Warden is sent home. Warden’s chief aide, Deptula becomes Glosson’s chief aide.
• Horner rids Warden’s Instant Thunder of its pysops (psychological operations) dimension. Propaganda leaflets would not be dropped on Iraq—to any great extent—encouraging the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

• Iraq threatens to close all foreign embassies in Kuwait by force and arrest any diplomatic personnel remaining after 24 August.

• Chemical decontamination equipment discovered near two Iraqi artillery battalions in Kuwait. Leads to American fears of potential Iraqi preparation for chemical attack.
• Most of the American Embassy in Kuwait is evacuated.

• Schwarzkopf meets with Powell in Washington on his way to moving CENTCOM to Riyadh. Powell states that no more than 150,000 troops would be deployed to the Gulf. Schwarzkopf’s estimates called for at least 216,000. (Desert Shield would deploy 265,000, and that would be doubled, as the offensive was prepared.)
• Americans tell Iraq that American Embassy in Kuwait would remain open. The Iraqis lay siege to the Embassy in hopes that it can be shut down by starving it out.
• UNSC passes Resolution 665, which authorized a naval blockade of Iraq. The measure passed 13-0, with Yemen and Cuba abstaining.

• Ivri meets with Wolfowitz, Kimmitt and Haass. Israel concerned over high likelihood of Iraqi Scud launches at Israel if American offensive is launched. Cheney recommends deploying Army Patriot units to Israel. Baker resists, but acquiesces.

• Hussein meets with Yasser Arafat, who attempts to mediate a peaceful settlement.
• Hussein re-engineers the Iraqi flag to include the Arabic phrase "Allah Akbar" (God is great) in an effort to appeal to Arab and Muslim solidarity before the imminent Gulf War.
• Morale among the Iraqi troops occupying Kuwait is high. Not because of coalition military superiority, but because of a lack of faith in the decision to invade Kuwait in the first place.
• Two missions are undertaken to release Iraqi-held hostages. Iraq releases all hostages.

• Secret Israeli delegation headed by Ivri arrives in Washington to warn Scowcroft and Cheney of impending Iraqi attack of Israel if hostilities erupt. The US had stalled for weeks before agreeing to meet the Israelis in an effort not to offend Arab coalition members.

• US ships stops interdiction operations against ships carrying food for Iraq.
• Jordan appeals to 661 Committee to allow former oil arrangement with Iraq to continue.
• 661 Committee directs UNSG to obtain information on Iraqi food supplies.

• Directs 661 Committee to keep Iraq’s humanitarian situation under constant review.

• Last Republican Guard radio transmission for five months. All RG communications are by (untraceable) landlines.

• Army-USMC tension surfaces over how to conduct defense of eastern Saudi Arabia and over boundary of Army and USMC spheres near "The Triangle." Luck calls Myatt "a little shit"; Schwarzkopf steps back to let his commanders "work it out." Establishes a pattern of Scwarzkopf not handling disputes among his commanders.

• Cheney fires Dugan for revealing to the Washington Post and LA Times that Hussein would be a target in coalition air strikes against Iraq.

• Schwarzkopf asks four Army planners, led by Purvis, to begin planning a ground offensive. This team became known as the "Jedi Knights." The Saudis were kept ignorant of this planning team and its mission.

• The slow-moving and mechanical failure-ridden Antares arrives in Saudi Arabia with the bulk of the 24^th Infantry’s supplies, a full month after setting sail.

• UNSC passes Resolution 670, which extends the embargo of Iraq to all vessels and aircraft.

• American intelligence warns that Iraqi biological weapons (botulinum) capability is strong enough to cause coalition casualties within four hours of a biological attack.
• Cheney directs his staff to plan Operation Scorpion, a ground offensive that would occupy western Iraq with coalition troops in order to minimize Iraqi Scud launches. The impractical plan is abandoned by 25 December.
• Bandar tells White House that Iraq can be defeated in two weeks of war.
• Primakov urges Kuwait to give Iraq a face-saving way to exit Kuwait and end the stand-off.
• 1^st cavalry deployed to Saudi Arabia.
• ARAMCO refuses to aid 82^nd Airborne as it defends the Abaqaiq Oil Complex NE of Riyadh
• Johnson (of SPEAR) directed by JCS to brief USAF commanders and crews on the capabilities of Iraqi KARI system.

• Gray appoints an "Ad Hoc study Team" to develop a better USMC plan than what Boomer is developing in Saudi Arabia. The plan becomes known as Operation TIGER, an amphibious landing that would take Basra. The plan is eventually scrapped.

• Purvis presents Schwarzkopf with the options for ejecting Iraq from Kuwait through a ground offensive. The best option was a night attack through western Kuwait 40 miles east of Wadi al Batin. Because one more corps was necessary to ensure success this plan became known as the "One Corps Concept."

• An explosion at As Shuaybah destroys 10,000 metric tons of Iraqi ammunition. This would have been enough to sustain 6 heavy divisions for 3 days of medium or high intensity conflict.

• In a conversation with Hine, Colin Powell admits he is uncomfortable with a war in the Persian Gulf and would wait up to two years for economic sanctions against Iraq to work.

• CENTCOM’s One Corps Concept presented to the Joint Chiefs, Cheney and Wolfowitz by Purvis and the Jedi Knights. Jedi Knight plan not sound, and Schwarzkopf warned Purvis and his team if they offered their own opinions, they would be kicked out of the theater and the Army.
• Iraqis early warning radar is moved 10 miles back from Kuwait-Saudi Arabia border.

• Purvis and the Jedi Knights present One Corps to Bush, Quayle, Baker, Gates and Scowcroft. The need for an additional corps was not clearly understood by the political leadership. Cheney believed it was "a bad plan."
• Cheney and powell begin to develop separate ground offensive plans after rejection of Jedi Knights "One Corps Concept."

• Intelligence reports indicate that Iraqi forces in Kuwait are low on food and morale.

• Schwarzkopf approves of "two corps" concept and opens Jedi Knights; it is no longer a secret planning cell.

• Upon returning to Washington, Powell advocated deploying two additional corps to Saudi Arabia. Cheney had come to the same conclusion.
• US offers Patriot missile systems to Israel crewed by Americans. The offer is accepted. This is the first deployment of American troops to Israel.

• Bush decides to double troop strength in Saudi Arabia at a National Security Council meeting; decision kept secret until after the national elections of 8 November.

• The 10 reinforced Finnish air raid shelters in Baghdad are put on preliminary target lists for the air war.

• Schwarzkopf declares that his war aim is "every Iraqi soldier bleeding from every orifice." He puts Horner in charge, carte blanche, of the air war: "There’s only going to be one guy in charge of the air war: Horner. If you want to fight your interservice battles, do it after the war." The inevitable interservice battles over which service hit which targets became an integral part of the "Riyadh War."
• Britain announces that its 1^st Armoured Division will be sent to the Gulf. Boomer assumes this force will be used to augment USMC strength, but it is instead transferred to the Army’s VII Corps. Boomer feels betrayed by Army leadership.

• By this time 60 USN ships, 1,000 aircraft (590 ‘shooters’) and 250,000 US troops are deployed to Saudi Arabia. By 17 January, this commitment would be doubled, including 4,000 tanks, 150 ships (including 3 additional aircraft carriers), and 600,000 troops (including a second USMC division and the heavily armed VII Army Corps from Germany).
• The two corps concept became known as the "Left Hook" as it became feasible for the ground offensive to flank the Iraqi forces by sweeping around from the west. This plan, unlike the one corps concept, garnered broad approval.

• Waller appointed to deputy CINC of CENTCOM.
• In Imminent Thunder, US troops rehearse an amphibious landing of Kuwait. (Imminent Thunder took place in Saudi Arabia)
• Jedi Knights make first consultations with USMC to determine USMC role in ground offensive; Boomer is furious over the USMC’s exclusion from over two months of ground offensive planning.
• Intelligence reports indicate that the Iraqi forces in Kuwait are gathering white T-shirts to make surrender flags.

• Boomer rejects Jedi Knights ground offensive plan.

• Britain’s Brigadier Tim Sullivan becomes the only non-American in the Jedi Knights.

• Bush announces that up to a half million US troops will be deployed to Saudi Arabia to provide for an "offensive military option."

• USMC elect to plan their own ground offensive.

• National Council of Churches of Christ criticizes Bush for "reckless rhetoric and imprudent behavior," and states its "unequivocal" opposition to build-up of US troops in Persian Gulf.

• Intelligence reports indicate that even with the inclusion of 9,500 British Marines, the USMC was outnumbered 3:1 by the Iraqi occupation forces in Kuwait.

• Waller arrives in Saudi Arabia.

• Margaret Thatcher resigns after she loses the confidence of the House of Commons. Thatcher is succeeded by John Major.

• De la Billiere briefs Schwarzkopf on need to transfer British 1^st Armoured from USMC to Army command.

• US Senate Armed Services Committee hears testimony on the effectiveness of the economic sanctions.

• UN Security Council authorizes use of force to eject Iraq from Kuwait. (Resolution 678)

• Senate Armed Services Committee hears testimony on Iraq’s production capacity for nuclear weapons.

• In a briefing for Cheney and Schwarzkopf, Horner declares, "If there’s collateral damage in Iraq, perhaps that’s not all bad. There has to be a penalty for building and storing [biological] weapons. If there is some fallout in Iraq and it causes death, that penalty also sends a signal to others." 18 BW sites are placed high on the target list.
• Inoculations of soldiers begin: 18,000 receive botulinum vaccines and 150,000 more were inoculated against anthrax.
• Iraqi aircraft average 235 sorties/day.
• Cheney approves the US Army’s 4^th Psychological Operations Group to come up with a psyops plan supporting Operation Desert Storm. Schwarzkopf would personally oversee the psyops campaign plan. The plan was to convince Iraqi soldiers that their defeat was imminent and that their cause was morally baseless.
• Gray inspects USMC operations in Saudi Arabia. Loses confidence in Boomer and tries to persuade Schwarzkopf to allow major changes in the MARCENT command structure. Schwarzkopf refuses this 11^th-hour request.

• Union of American Hebrew Congregations declares that using military force against Iraq is "an acceptable moral option" after other means of resolving the crisis are exhausted.
• Powell and Cheney testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the military plan to eject Iraq from Kuwait.

• Cheney, Powell and Bush officially approve Left Hook. Among 10 ‘operational imperatives’ Schwarzkopf is to "accept losses no greater than the equivalent of three companies per ... brigade." (this represents a cap of approximately 10,000 friendly casualties)
• First of the VII Corps arrives in Saudi Arabia from Germany.

• Warden briefs Cheney on the air offensive, hoping that air power alone will win the war without the need for a ground offensive.

• Schwarzkopf unable to convince Saudis to let USMC lead coastal attack into Kuwait. Saudis wished to lead their own attack because of "pride."
• Schwarzkopf makes an attrition rate of 50% the goal of the air offensive. The ground offensive would not start until this rate of attrition in Iraqi forces had been achieved.

• Date of projected first D-Day for Operation DESERT STORM.

• Amnesty International reports widespread human rights violations in Iraqi-occupied Kuwait.

• Schwarzkopf transfers British 1^st Armoured Division to US VII Army Corps to aid in main attack on Kuwait. This chafed Boomer, whose division was to be used as a diversion to the VII Corps’ Left Hook attack.

• The Black Hole removes the 10 hardened shelters from target lists since they appear to be unoccupied and vacant.
• Bush authorizes CIA to promote opposition groups within Iraq through covert operations.

• Talks between Baker and Aziz collapse after seven hours of discussion. Baker delivers a letter from Bush to Hussein. Aziz refuses to accept it.
• Baker cautions Aziz that Iraqi chemical attack would put the existence of the Ba’ath regime at risk.

• Congress authorizes the US use of force: Both Houses in favor: House 250-183; Senate 52-47.
• Glosson releases a memo to pilots: "electric targets will be targeted to minimize recuperation time… Boilers and generators will not be aim points." However, the memo doesn’t reach all pilots; targets hit by Kit-2S, an anti-electrical system ordnance, are often hit again with conventional bombs in order to insure the targets destruction.
• A US MC-130 drops more than a million leaflets over Kuwait encouraging Arab unity as part of a psyops campaign. 50,000 audio cassettes containing anti-Saddam messages were smuggled into Kuwait, millions of leaflets were dropped and a covert radio station ("The Voice of the Gulf") was operated by American forces on 6 frequencies. However, the efficacy of the psyops campaign was questionable as mass surrenders did not occur.

• HAMMER RICK becomes operational.

• Hussein regime rebuffs last-minute negotiations by the French government and UN Secretary-General de Cuellar.

• Pentagon issues rules for journalists in Persian Gulf: 12 categories of information were subject to censorship and reporters had to be accompanied by military escorts during interviews.
• Powell and Cheney sign the secret order authorizing Schwarzkopf to start Operation DESERT STORM. The order is faxed to Schwarzkopf in Riyadh.

• The Pentagon estimates Iraqi ground forces in Kuwait at 540,000 men in 43 divisions. Another 288,000 in 12 divisions were north of the Euphrates. CENTCOM intelligence analysis of Iraqi troop strength (between 450,000-500,000) is very close to Pentagon estimates.

• Schwarzkopf accuses Horner and Glosson of ignoring his orders by not including B-52 missions over Republican Guard units in the initial attack sorties.

17 January: Operation DESERT STORM

• 01:30: first TLAMs launched at Baghdad from USN ships open the Gulf War.
• 02:38: Apache helicopter strikes. Throughout the month 40% of air sorties had to be cancelled. Historical meteorological patterns suggested 13% of the theater would be under cloud cover. However, the actual percentage of cloud cover was closer to 40%.
• Among the targets are 35 bunkers, command posts and other leadership targets. This number would increase to 46 by war’s end.
• Satellite photos suggest Amiriyah Shelter received a new camouflage paint pattern. This rekindled CIA interest in Amiriyah as a target.
• Turkish President Ozal persuades Turkish National Assembly to authorize American attacks against Iraq from Turkish Incirlik Air Base. (Operation Proven Force)
• White House suggests to Israel that they should consider a counter-attack on Iraq with Israel’s Jericho missile in the event of Scud attacks on Israel by Iraq. Israel summarily rejects this proposal. (Israel could not easily attack Iraq since Israel did not have permission to overfly Jordanian and Saudi Arabian airspace.)
• Schwarzkopf transfers combat search and rescue operations to his special operations commander, COL Jesse Johnson.
• Iraq launches 116 aircraft sorties.
• As the air war starts, the press is largely reliant on the daily briefings for information.
• Glosson targets Iraqi bridges with gravity bombs, and in the first three days of the air war not a single Iraqi bridge is dropped.
• In an effort not to go to war prematurely, Washington forbade low altitude reconnassaince flights over the KTO before 17 January. American intelligence networks—designed to defend western Europe against Soviet attack for 40 years—proved inadequate to provide reliable and timely information on Iraq’s plans for Kuwait.

• With news of the war, the Dow Jones soars 117 points and oil prices drop to $11/b.
• Just after midnight first US attacks against Iraq are launched from Incirlik, (Operation Proven Force) allowing an extra 100 sorties/day.

• Bush pleads Shamir for Israeli restraint over first Iraqi Scud attacks on Israel. Shamir offered no assurances, and deferred to the meeting of the Israeli War Cabinet the next day.
• More Scuds hit Israel. Several dozen are wounded, but no one is killed. Ivri informed Wolfowitz that Israel intended to retaliate since the Americans seemed unable to stop the attacks.
• Iraq launches just 60 aircraft sorties. The lack of any meaningful Iraqi air defense leaves coalition planners confused.

• Barrier combat air patrols initiated to prevent any more Iraqi jets from fleeing to Iran.

• Eagleburger & Wolfowitz arrive in Tel Aviv to try and prevent Israel from responding unilaterally to Iraq’s attacks.
• ‘Collateral Damage’ damages 50 homes in Najf.
• Glosson upgrades the bridge campaign to laser guided munitions from F-117s, and for the rest of the war 7-10 bridges are dropped every week.
• Schwarzkopf transfers the French Daguet Division from Saudi to American command. The French had requested the transfer fearing Saudi military incompetence.

• Warden calls Deptula in Riyadh and urges the targeting of the Iraqi Air force on the ground. Iraq had enough aircraft to launch simultaneous strikes against Tel Aviv and Riyadh. Deptula puts known Iraqi hangars on the MAP.
• Cheney suggests publicly that the war could last for months, which heightens public apprehension about the war. (A feeling of enthusiasm had given way to apprehension by the second week)
• Dover AFB, the US military mortuary—expecting several thousand casualties from the impending ground war—is declared off-limits to the media.
• Oil fires detected at Al Wafrah field, Kuwait.
• A four-man CBS-TV camera crew, including correspondent Bob Simon, is captured by the Iraqis in SW Kuwait and held as POWs for the duration of the war.

• British abandon low-altitude air attacks. British Tornado losses are triple American fighter losses.
• Ivri tells Wolfowitz that a Jericho will be test-fired into the Mediterranean Sea as a show of force to Iraq.
• Downing proposes to Kelly to insert Delta Force into Iraq to destroy Scuds.
• One Scud lands in the Ramat Gan suburb in Tel Aviv. 3 are killed and 96 wounded. 1,700 apartments are damaged.
• Oil fires detected at Ash Shuaybah and Mina Abdullah fields, Kuwait.
• Boomer approves the Southwest Option, a plan for the USMC ground war that had both USMC divisions going through a single breach in Iraqi defenses near OP-4.

• Intense attack against Iraqi aircraft hangars begins. 375 hardened aircraft hangars are destroyed. About 20 Iraqi jets safely cross the border into Iran. Once on the ground they are re-flagged as Iranian Air Force aircraft. Tehran promises to keep them grounded for the duration of the war. (Bandar thought that Iran had absolutely no intention of returning the high performance aircraft back to Iraq.)
• Powell and Cheney give press briefing from Pentagon summarizing the first week of the war.

• Eberly is transported to a Baghdad prison.

• Intentional oil spills detected in Persian Gulf off Al Ahmadi, Kuwait. The pipeline between the Ahmadi Crude Oil Storage Terminal and the Sea Island Terminal was opened as well. The resulting oil slick was approximately 2-3 times the size of the Ixtoc I disaster in Mexico City in 1979 that resulted in 3.3 million barrels being dumped into the Gulf of Mexico.
• Task Force Shepherd (USMC contingent of 1,200 at Khafji) shells Iraq’s Al Jaber Air Base with artillery. (Later 3 Marines are killed in an auto accident as they pull back from the firing line.)

• 6 Iraqi Scuds fall on Israel.
• 17,000 Marines and 11,000 sailors on 34 ships in Oman participate in Sea Soldier IV, a rehearsal for an amphibious landing on Kuwait.
• F-111s attack oil manifolds at Al Ahmadi in effort to counter Iraqi sabotage.
• Iraqi and American troops make attacks on one another’s positions across Saudi-Kuwaiti border at Khafji. 100 Iraqis are killed.

• British 1^st Armoured Division formally placed under the command of Army LG Fred Franks’ VII Corps.

• Ivri, Gen. Ehud Barak, Israeli Dep. Chief of Staff and RADM Avraham Ben-Shoshan, defense attaché, brief Cheney and Powell on a plan to use Israeli special forces units to hunt for Scuds in western Iraq.

• Bush delivers the State of the Union Address.
• Baker and Bessmertnykh draft joint communiqué that contradicts US war aims: The war could end if Iraq merely "would make an unequivocal commitment" to leave Kuwait and comply with UN Security Council resolutions. The communiqué also hints at linkage between the Iraq-Kuwait crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. This incident upset both Bush and Scowcroft.

• Cheney dispatches Downing to Saudi Arabia with Delta Force’s 1^st Squadron and Army helicopter Task Force 160 (known together as the Joint Special Operations Task Force) to Saudi Arabia to hunt for Scuds. (Operation Eagle)
• Schwarzkopf declared that Iraq was left with some of its electricity flowing "because of our interest in making sure that civilians [do] not suffer unduly."
• A dogfight between American F-15Cs from CAP Cindy and Iraqi MiG-25 Foxbats occurred with no downed aircraft on either side, and the Americans narrowly missing an Iraqi trap over Baghdad (i.e. the fast Foxbats baiting the Eagles to chase them over Baghdad, where Iraqi SAMs lay in wait). Iraqi escapes to Iran stopped altogether after this incident.
• Rift develops between Riyadh and Washington over the interpretation and methodology of BDA.

• The 2^nd SANG again attacked Khafji in an attempt to rescue the two USMC infiltration teams. One team escaped to safety.
• 13:00: The second infiltration team reaches safety.
• By late afternoon, most of Khafji is re-taken by coalition troops. Thirty Iraqis were killed, and 466 taken as POWs, 37 wounded. 19 Saudis and Qataris were killed, 36 wounded. 25 Americans were killed, half from "friendly fire" incidents. Schwarzkopf later estimated the 80% of the Iraqi 5^th Mechanized Infantry Division were killed. The Arab forces proved themselves to their American counterparts, an a greater role for the Arab coalition partners was sought.
• Eberly moved to a new prison, the "Biltmore."

• Johnston declares that "I quite truthfully cannot tell [of] any reports . . . that would show inaccurate bombing, [or bombing that has] grossly missed the target." Dumb bombs—93% of all ordnance used—was accurate only 25% of the time. Slight misjudgments in altitude or speed could produce inaccuracies resulting in missing targets by hundreds of feet. 25% of stealth fighter missions resulted in missed targets.
• Keys gets Boomer to split the USMC force by having Keys’ 2^nd Division attacking through the Umm Gudair Oil Field, near OP-5.
• Three of the 10 hardened Baghdad air raid shelters show some signs of activity. One appeared to be used by the Information Ministry; Amiriyah Shelter’s new activity was not as obvious.
• Baghdad announces that 17-year-olds are to now be conscripted into the Iraqi military.
• CENTCOM intelligence estimates of Iraqi troop strength climb from 35 divisions to 40 to 42 by mid-February. The changing estimates reflect the confusion as to the organizational structure of the Iraqi military (i.e. the number of troops in divisions; the number of divisions in a corps, etc.)
• First permission granted by Iraq for UN study of the humanitarian condtions.

• With TLAMs hitting their targets only 50% of the time (and costing $2 million a piece) TLAM strikes against Iraqi targets are limited to the point that the USN needs Schwarzkopf’s express permission to launch them. Schwarzkopf never gave permission for the rest of the war and the 1 Feb. 6 TLAM strike on Al Rashid Air Base was the last one of the war.
• Downing and Delta Force arrive in Saudi Arabia.

• Schwarzkopf formally decides against an amphibious landing on Kuwait (Operation Desert Saber) since it was going to take too long to prepare the battlefield with minesweeping and battleship suppression fire. To forego these preparations would have risked countless USMC casualties and one or more ships sunk.

• First US battleship (USS Missouri) shells targets in Iraqi-occupied Kuwait.

• An errant coalition attack on a bridge in Nasiriyah kills 50 civilians.
• A new software package for the Patriot missile system that would prevent its firing on false targets—known as Version 34—arrives in Israel. Israel orders all 6 Patriot batteries (including 4 staffed by US Army troops) to switch to manual firing. This was considered ill advised by American air defense specialists since Version 34 could respond much quicker than a person could.
• Iraqi Scud launches dwindle to an average of less than one per day.
• Israeli Air Force Commander, MG Avihu Ben-Nun confronts American Patriot Commander Army COL Lew Goldberg that "The Patriot doesn’t work."
• Glosson cancels the barrier combat air patrols and shifts the F-15s elsewhere in theater, and immediately 30 Iraqi fighters make their way to Iran.

• First ‘tank-plinking’ mission flown.
• SIGINT discovered to be emanating from the vicinity of Amiriyah Shelter. CIA believed that Amiryah had become home to the Mukhabarat or the General Intelligence Department, two of Iraq’s secreat police institutions.

• VII Corps arrives at full strength.
• USS Wisconsin relieves the Missouri, this was the Wisconsin’s first combat since the Korean War.
• Glosson re-institutes the bar CAP missions. Glosson is also aware that many American pilots are becoming addicted to uppers and downers so they can continue night flights for extended duration. He pledges to "straighten the pilots out with the doctors after the war."
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) begins to evaluate 60 proposals in five categories (thermal imagery, infrared imagery, laser, special radio frequencies and visual devices) designed to keep coalition troops from killing each other in incidents of friendly fire during the impending ground war.

• CIA notes large discrepancy between Washington and Riyadh intelligence staffs regarding the destruction of Iraqi armor units.
• 19:31 USS Wisconsin shells Khawr al Mufattah, a marina near Khafji sheltering Iraqi forces.
• 44 F-111s launched for ‘tank-plinking.’ Tank-plinking increased the schism in the interpretation of BDA’s between Riyadh and Washington. The CIA would credit CENTCOM with only a fraction of the kills it claimed, leading to a feeling of abandonment from CENTCOM leadership.

• Cheney, Powell and Wolfowitz arrive in Riyadh for final review of ground attack plans.

• An Iraqi Scud hits Tel Aviv, damaging more than 200 buildings and wounding 27. The attack further inflames Israeli frustrations at the Americans.
• French BG Jean-Charles Mouscardes is evacuated to France for medical reasons. French BG Bernard Janvier assumes command of the Daguet Division.

• Charles Allen recommends to Warden that Amiriyah Shelter be put on the target list.

• Primakov arrives in Baghdad to urge Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. He notes that Hussein looks haggard and has lost 30-40 pounds since their last meeting in October.
• After four weeks of war, living conditions in Baghdad are reduced to 19^th century levels: running water, telephone service, garbage collection and electricity are all out; gasoline and water are rationed; sewage treatment facilities don’t work and millions of gallons of raw sewage is pumped directly into the Tigris; food prices are extortionate: a $.60 kilo of rice is now sold for $15. Hospitals ran out of equipment and the dead were commonly buried in hospital gardens to make room for more. Sepsis, dysentery, hepatitis and other diseases soared.
• Arens confronts Bush on the need for an Israeli strike against Iraq since the Patriot was not effective. The meeting ended after 30 minutes with both the Americans and the Israelis thoroughly irritated with one another. The Americans refused to open corridors over Arab countries for Israeli fighter overflights.
• An Iraqi Scud hit Tel Aviv, near Ben Gurion International Airport. It hit 500 feet from Arens’ home as he was talking with Cheney about making room for an Israeli strike on Iraqi Scud sites. Because of this incident, Arens’ apparent rudeness to the Americans was forgiven.

• 04:30 Strike on Amiriyah Shelter kills more than two hundred civilians and leads to restrictions on strategic bombing campaign. By mid-morning there is a crowd of over 5,000 Iraqis watching the recovery of bodies from the shelter.
• The US response to the CNN story on the Amiriyah bombing was to shift the blame to Hussein and Iraq. In Washington, Powell and McConnell brief Bush on Amiriyah. Glosson and Leide brief Schwarzkopf and Horner.
• 19:00 Four British jets bomb a crowded marketplace at Fallujah, along the Euphrates, killing approximately 130 civilians. A defective bomb is the culprit.
• Powell gave orders to limit the strategic bombing of Baghdad. All target lists were to be reviewed by Schwarzkopf before sorties were launched, and targets in downtown Baghdad needed Powell’s express permission. This new mandate was not popular with CENTCOM, and Glosson was looking for loopholes in order to continue the strategic bombing campaign. (i.e. limiting "Baghdad" to a three-mile radius, meant that anything outside the radius could still be bombed.)
• Tariq Aziz delivers a statement to Primakov, still in Baghdad. "The Iraqi leadership is seriously studying the ideas outlined by the representative of the Soviet president and will give its reply in the immediate future."
• Boomer realigns the two USMC divisions, and the resulting logistical complications cause a three-day delay in the start of the ground war. The new date is set for 24 February. Authorization is reluctantly given by Powell, sensing that Bush "wants to get on with it."
• Yeosock checks into a Riyadh hospital with pneumonia and intestinal pains. Needing gall bladder surgery in Germany, Schwarzkopf relieves Yeosock of command and appoints Waller as ARCENT Commander.

• Glosson, with Horner’s authority, removes altitude restrictions from coalition rules of engagement: "American soldiers are about to cross the border . . . All restrictions are removed . . . Flight leaders will have authority to decide whether to drop bombs from fifty feet or five hundred feet or five thousand feet."
• Glosson places the north end of Hussein’s Baghdad presidential palace off limits for targeting, since it was believed to be the headquarters of the secret police and a site where coalition POWs could have been held.
• Delta Force identifies three possible detention sites for coalition POWs in Iraq. None of the three was correct. Downing and Schwarzkopf attempt to formulate rescue plans, but were not convinced that Delta Force could bring the POWs to safety. Plans to deploy Delta Force in a rescue attempt are shelved until the start of the ground war.

• Bush calls, twice, for a popular uprising within Iraq to overthrow the Hussein regime.
• Glosson authorizes an A-10 attack on the Tawalkana Republican Guard Division, 60 miles north of the border, which resulted in 2 downed aircraft, one dead pilot, the other one an Iraqi POW. Horner orders Glosson to pull all A-10 attacks to not further north than 29’30", the latitude that bisects Kuwait Bay. This incident revealed that the RG units were not on the verge of cracking, but were digging themselves in, and were ready to attack if the opportunity presented itself.
• DARPA begins testing the most promising anti-friendly fire proposal at the Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. (24% of Gulf War KIA’s were friendly fire; 2% for World War II; 3% for Vietnam. The striking discrepancy is attributed to better documentation in latter years of battlefield fatalities (the World War II figures are certainly much higher, but no documentation was done at the time); the short duration of the Gulf War and the lack of a proportionate number of battlefield deaths from Iraqi fire.)

• VII Corps moves into final attack positions for ground attack. VII Corps was larger than Patton’s 3^rd Army and was the largest combat movement of American troops (nearly 150,000 troops in 40,000 vehicles) since World War II.
• Minesweeping operations begin in the Echo-to-Foxtrot channel off the Kuwaiti coastline. The first sweep shows that the channel was clear, but this was wrong. Many Iraqi mines were not deployed correctly and were inoperable, and 6 minefields lay east of the channel along a 150 mile crescent around the entire Kuwaiti coastline.
• CENTCOM estimates that 1,439 Iraqi tanks are destroyed. The CIA can confirm only one-third of these. CENTCOM estimated that Iraqi divisions were only between 42-58% the pre-war strength, while the CIA believed that they were stronger: 75-85% pre-war strength. Scowcroft was to investigate the BDA dispute for Bush. Soyster was mediating the discrepancy between CENTCOM and the CIA.

• An Army Apache helicopter fires on two APC’s of the 2^nd Armored Division attached to the 1^st Infantry Division, killing two soldiers in an incident of friendly fire. The unit commander, who led the attack, LTC Ralph Hayles was relieved of command for violating orders for commanders not to be personally involved in attacks.
• Boomer agrees to expand USMC reconaissance patrols into Kuwaiti territory by authorizing 11 patrols for night patrols 10-15 miles within the border.

• Arnold writes a situation report for theater commanders and Joint Staff in Washington deriding the USAF for not hitting Army and USMC-nominated targets. The report embarrassed Horner and set off another wave of bitter interservice bickering.
• First bombing of Baghdad since Amiriyah.
• USMC Task Force Troy begins operations along a 25-mile zone south of Al Wafrah to deceive the Iraqis into thinking that the ground war will be launched along the east coast of Kuwait. A wooden camel symbolized the task force.
• Schwarzkopf tries to delay the start of the ground war due to bad weather, but Cheney and Powell pressure Schwarzkopf to continue planning for 24 February. The weather clears and the date is confirmed.
• Tariq Aziz arrives in Moscow for talks on an Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait through the good offices of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev’s plan was without the mandate from other coalition partners and promised to not exact reparations from Iraq, to address the Arab-Israeli crisis and to leave the Hussein regime intact after the war. Gorbachev cabled a 3-page summary of his plan to Bush.

• Bush replies to Gorbachev that the peace proposal is unsatisfactory: the Soviet proposal left Iraq six weeks to vacate Kuwait; Bush would give 4 days (this would force the abandonment of a significant part of Iraqi military materiel, thus blunting the power of the Iraqi military). Bush further demanded that Iraq must release all coalition POW’s; and a detailed description of all Iraqi minefields. The White House sees the Soviet proposal as a way for the USSR to save Iraq as a client state.

• 1^st Cavalry Division feints up Wadi al Batin; pulls back with three dead and nine wounded. The midday probe of Iraq’s borders reinforced the false notion that the main thrust of the coalition ground war would be up the natural path of the Wadi al Batin.
• 435 Iraqis surrendered near Thaqb al Hajj, some 40 miles from the 101^st Airborne Division’s position. Schwarzkopf worried that press images of the fast response of American troops in the area would tip off the Iraqis to the ground war route.

• Deadline of noon on 23 February set for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. This deadline was 8 hours before the scheduled time of attack. British and French wanted to give Iraq one week (as opposed to 4 days) to evacuate from Kuwait.

• 02:40 Aziz-Gorbachev agreement is announced.
• Several thousand Marines from Task Forces Grizzly and Taro are infiltrated into Kuwait early to mark lanes through Iraqi minefields through which USMC Task Forces Ripper and Papa Bear would attack.
• 12:00 Task Force Grizzly is discovered by the Iraqis 12 miles inside Kuwait. Coalition air cover discourages subsequent Iraqi attacks for part of the day.
• 21:00 Grizzly is driven back from the minefield when USMC air cover drops bombs less than 800 meters from the lead scouts.

• Sunrise: Task Force Taro infiltrated up to eight miles inside Kuwait.
• Task Force Grizzly is not allowed to attack in force before Bush’s deadline for the ground war expires.
• Stealth fighters attack Iraqi intelligence headquarters unaware that Coalition POWs were being held inside.
• Taro hides in foxholes by day and remained undiscovered by Iraqi observers.
• First leadership target bombed in Baghdad since Amiriyah.
• Special Operations missions grow bolder: Army Special Forces teams inserted inside Iraq for trafficability missions, USN SEALs planted amphibious landing markers along the Kuwaiti coastline, 500 yards from shore, 10 Special Forces teams are inserted deep behind Iraqi lines to watch for Iraqi tank movements; 4 teams from the 3^rd SFG are inserted along the VII Corps attack corridor to scout for the Republican Guard. Two Army SF teams are rescued by CSAR after their positions are discovered and firefights ensued.
• Satellite intelligence reveals new oil fires in Kuwait at Ash Shuaybah, Mina al-Ahmadi and the Burkan oil field. 150 fires were raging and sabotaged oil wells (unignited) were leaking oil into the desert.
• 10:40 Bush chastises Hussein in a Rose Garden speech for the apparent "scorched earth" policy. Bush also announces publicly the demands Iraq must meet before the deadline to avoid coalition ground war.
• Skirmishing along the border increases as G-Day nears.
• 13:10 Order for radio silence among the ground troops radio is lifted.
• 13:30 210^th Field Artillery Brigade and three Howitzer units open fire on Iraqi targets 10-15 miles inside Kuwait.
• 21:00 An hour past Bush’s deadline, Grizzly is ordered to continue moving north "in force."

• Taro and Grizzly make their way through Iraqi minefields and start to blast their way to widen the corridor so armored forces could traverse it as well. Friendly fire kills at least 3 Marines in Grizzly.
• 04:00 Ground attack begins.
• Schwarzkopf accelerates VII Corps attack by fifteen hours.
• Franks halts the VII Corps attack after field conditions make it impossible to continue until daybreak.
• Two USMC divisions seize much of the Kuwaiti bootheel and capture 8,000 Iraqi POWs.
• Pool system for the press breaks down because of Army’s inability to get footage, photographs and other materials to Dhahran quickly enough.
• "Highway of Death:" Along the primary highway between Kuwait and Iraq, 1,500 vehicles are destoyed in allied air attacks; only 2% are military vehicles.

• Dawn: VII Corps launches the primary attack of the ground war.
• Schwarzkopf explodes at the slow progress of the VII Corps, and threatens to remove Franks as VII Corps Commander.
• 101^st Airborne Division cuts Highway 8 in Euphrates Valley.
• Iraqis counterattack the 1^st Marine Division.
• Scud destroys barracks at Al Khobar, killing 28 Americans and wounding 98.
• Yeosock returns to command ARCENT.
• French forces take over 3,500 Iraqi POWs.
• Some 150 Iraqis, after refusing to surrender to the Army 1 ID are buried alive as Iraqi trenches are plowed.

• Battle of 73 Easting: 28 tanks, 16 APCs and 39 trucks destroyed by American forces in 23 minutes. Engagement between the Americans and the Tawalkana RG.
• First leaflet drop ("bullshit bombs") over Baghdad by USAF F-16s. The half million leaflets read "Saddam’s first line of defense: innocent civilians" in reference to the Amiriyah bombing.
• Biggest day for the air war: 3,159 sorties flown against Iraqi targets in Kuwait and Iraq.

• Ground War comes to an end before "double envelopment of Basra takes place. 70,000-80,000 Iraqi troops escape to safety and fully half of the armor from the RG makes it out of Kuwait

• Cease-fire takes effect at 8 am.
• 13:30: American Embassy in Kuwait City liberated by US forces.

• Baghdad reports to the United Nations that approximately 2,300 civilians had been killed during the air war. This means that one Iraqi civilian was killed for every 38 tons of ordnance dropped. (This compares to the Invasion of Normandy (June 1944): 1 civilian/4 tons ordnance; Vietnam (1972): 1 civilian/15 tons ordnance.)
• Schwarzkopf claims that 625,000 Iraqi troops were occupying Kuwait. This appears to be an exaggeration of Iraqi troop strength. Iraqi armor and artillery units were overestimated by 20-25%. To illustrate the overestimation of Iraqi troop strength: less than 2% of all tank rounds were actually fired during the entire Gulf War. Later intelligence estimates suggest that Iraqi troop strength was actually between 183,000-300,000. Iraqi losses were estimated at 153,000 deserters and 26,000 KIA during the air war.
• The coalition had launched 69,000 aerial sorties compared to Iraq’s 910.
• From the end of the Gulf War to the collapse of the Turkey-PKK cease fire, Turks would buy gasoline in Iraq and return to Turkey to sell it at a profit of 30-40 times the Iraqi cost.

• Two Iraqi fighter bombers are shot down after the cease-fire for violating the NFZ.
• The March 1991 revolt among the Kurds and the Shi’i resulted in the capture of two-thirds of the governorates. People no longer afraid of the Ba’ath called on the coalition to help them change the Baghdad regime. This is unprecedented in Arab politics. However, Western help was not forthcoming, and the insurrection was crushed and the old formula that has worked so effectively—public displays of extreme cruelty—has returned.

• 03:00 The Uprising reaches Basra, Iraq’s second largest city. Within hours, Ba’ath control over Basra is thrown aside as angry retreating soldiers take up arms against the Ba’ath.
• A secret underground prison was discovered under the BATA Shoe Company in Basra. The released political prisoners shouted "Down with al-Bakr!" The prisoners were apparently not aware that al-Bakr had not been in power since 1979.
• CIA determines that half of the RG unites slated for destruction had escaped from Kuwait unharmed.

• 24^th Infantry Division fights ‘Hammurabi Division’ as it flees Kuwait; 600 vehicles destroyed 2 days after cease fire takes effect. This action is the topic of Seymour Hersh’s article, "Overwhelming Force" (22 May 2000, New Yorker.)

• Schwarzkopf meets Iraqi generals at Safwan to discuss terms of the cease-fire. Schwarzkopf allowed Iraq to use helicopters, which Iraq crushes both the Shi’i and Kurd rebellions.

• Most POWs released.
• Uprising starts in Kurdistan. 400 Ba’athi officials are massacred after the discovery of torture devices in a room in the Central Security Headquarters in Sulaimaniya. The uprising liberates 14 of 18 provinces. Rumors spread that Hussein had left the country.

• Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qassim al-Khoie of Najf issues fatwa for uprising to "protect people’s property, and honor, likewise, all public institutions, for they are the property of all."

• Shi’i Rebellion is crushed by Iraqi government.

• Tariq Aziz admits to an old friend, Jordanian politician Zeid Rifai, that the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait had been a mistake.
• 760,000 Iraqi refugees cross into Iran.

• Undersecretary General of the UN Martti Ahtisaari warns of imminent catastrophe if massive humanitarian needs in Iraq are not met.

• Fitzwater states that the United States will not interfere in Iraqi helicopter flights unless they threaten Coalition troops.

• 4,700 Iraqi refugees flee to Turkey during a three-week period.

• Kurdish Rebellion in Kirkuk is crushed by Iraqi government forces.

• Both the American and the Iraqi governments wish the UN to take over humanitarian assistance in Iraq.

• Former PM Thatcher makes appeal for the plight of Iraqi Kurds in the aftermath of Desert Storm.
• UNHCR is designated as the lead UN agency to assist Iraqi refugees in Iran and Turkey, but UNHCR is quickly overshadowed by the key Coalition states take charge.

• UNDRO receives 7 times as much funding per refugee in Turkey than for those in Iran. This reflects international hesitance to channel humanitarian aid into Iran.

• Ozal requests American assistance at the UNSC that would exempt Turkey from accepting any more Iraqi Kurdish refugees.
• Turkey sends letter to UNSC calling Iraq’s driving of refugees to Turkey an "excessive use of force." Iran sends a similar letter.
• Kurdish Rebellion in Sulaymaniyah is crushed by Iraqi government forces.

• UNSC passes Resolution 687, which links international sanctions to Iraqi disarmament of WMD, (and ballistic missiles with a range over 150 kilometers. Requires Iraq to make a declaration, within 15 days, of the location, amounts and types of all such items), enforces an open-ended weapons embargo, and establishes a UN commission to delineate the Iraq-Kuwait border.

• UNSC passes Resolution 688, which authorizes the establishment of "safe havens" to protect Iraqi citizens. Cuba, Yemen and Zimbabwe vote against, China and India abstain. Safe havens would be set up in Kurdistan, but not in southern Iraq, despite on-going repression of the Shi’i. This resolution also compromises UN member state sovereignty in the name of protection of the state’s citizens from government repression, a dramatic new precedent for the UN Ozal proposes a "safe haven" in northern Iraq after UNSCR 688 passes.

• Iran closes its border to Iraqi refugees for a one-day period.

• United States begins airdrops of aid supplies to Iraqi Kurds along Turkey-Iraq border. (Operation PROVIDE COMFORT)
• Northern NFZ is established when the United States directs Iraq to not operate fixed-wing aircraft and to cease all military activity north of the 36^th Parallel.

• British PM Major outlines the "safe haven" plan at the European Council Foreign Minister’s Meeting. The plan is endorsed by the Meeting.
• Baker visits the Cukurca Refugee Camp along the Turkey-Iraq border.

• UNSC receives text of an Iraqi National Assembly decision to adopt UNSCR 687.
• Kurdistan front sends diplomatic mission to Baghdad to discuss Kurdish autonomy.

• Bush accepts need for humanitarian assistance and "safe havens" for Iraqi Kurds.

• Turkish Governor Kozakcioglu tells American Generals Jamerson and Potter that Iraqi Kurdish refugees in Turkey will have to be returned to Iraq. Ambassador Abramowitz agrees. The Turkish demand contravenes the principles of the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees.

• American troops begin withdrawal from southern Iraq.
• After a week of discussions, the European Council, the United States and Turkey agree to use Coalition ground forces to establish a "safe haven" on Iraq-Turkey border.

• Bush declares a "safe haven" area in Iraqi Kurdistan, and sends in ground troops into northern Iraq to provide humanitarian aid. (Operation SAFE HAVEN)

• Iraq provides initial declaration required under resolution 687 (1991), declares somec hemical weapons and materials and 53 Al-Hussein and Scud type long-range ballistic missiles. Iraq declares it has no biological weapons programme.

• American and British troops arrive in Zakho. These troops are eventually joined by contingents from 13 nations, totaling 23,000 troops.

• King Fahd admits some 30,000 Iraqi refugees and 15,000 former Iraqi POWs into Saudi Arabia.

• Iraqi refugees in Iran—who are three ties as large as Iraqi refugees in Turkey—are without adequate shelter and epidemics are rising.

• Through an exchange of letters between the UNSG and Aziz, Iraq accepts the privileges and immunities of UNSCOM, including the right for "unrestricted freedom of entry and exit without delay or hindrance . . ."
• UN inter-Agency Humanitarian Programme is established to meet immediate needs of vulnerable sectors of Iraqi civilian populations. Funding totals $964 million between 1991-1996.
• Informal agreement made between Jordan, US, UK and France to allow 1990 oil deal between Iraq and Jordan to continue, despite sanctions.
• 661 Committee decides that states can unfreeze Iraqi assets to pay for humanitarian purchases.

• UNHCR reports that 68,000 Iraqi refugees from marsh areas arrive in Iran.

• Bottleneck develops at Zakho Transit Camp as returning refugees refuse to return to Iraq.

• 1.5 million Iraqi refugees flee to Iran and the Iran-Iraq border region.

• Iraq submits revised declarations covering additional chemical weapons and a refinement of the missile declaration.

• Coalition reaches agreement with Iraqi government that allows non-combatant soldiers and aid workers to enter Dohuk.

• Major obtains EC and American endorsement for a UN Guard force of 500 tp protect aid workers in Iraq. The Guard’s legal authority is tied to the MoU to avoid another UNSC resolution which the Iraqi government could reject out of hand.

• United States announces that American troops will leave northern Iraq in June.
• Flow of returning refugees increases dramatically as Iraqi government troops withdraw from Dohuk.
• United States announces that it will withdraw from northern Iraq beginning on 21 June. Ground troops will be stationed in Turkey as a deterrent to Iraqi repression of Kurds. (Operation POISED HAMMER. Jamerson is placed in charge of this mission.)
• As Iraqi government becomes aware of Coalition plan to withdraw from northern Iraq, they loose their desire to negotiate in good faith with the Kurds.

• UNSC passes Resolution 692, which establishes UN Compensation Fund. This fund, from which war reparations are to be paid from, is to be financed by 30% of annual Iraqi oil revenues.

• Powell reports that PROVIDE COMFORT should end as soon as possible.

• UNSCOM/IAEA inspectors try to intercept Iraqi vehicles carrying nuclear related equipment (Calutrons). Iraqi personnel fire warning shots in the air to prevent the inspectors from approaching the vehicles. The equipment is later seized and destroyed under international supervision.

• Iraqi government increases security sweeps and arrests in the southern marsh areas.

• UN scheduled to take over American refugee and relief program in northern Iraq. Only 60 UN Guards remain in place.

• Victory parade in Washington.

• UNSCOM conducts its first chemical weapons inspection.

• In the first full-scale review, UNSC votes to maintain international trade sanctions against Iraq.
• Iran calls upon the UN to protect the Iraqi shi’i who are surrounded by Iraqi troops in the marsh areas of Iraq.

• In a rare direct contact with Iran, Hurd contacts Veliyati for information on the Iraqi repression of the Shi’i in southern Iraq.

• Genser writes to UNSG expressing concern over southern Iraq situation and endorses the establishment of UN humanitarian centers across southern Iraq.

• Shalikashvili and Garner tell Kurds that American forces are about to withdraw, that the "safe haven" will not be expanded and that UN forces will keep the peace.
• UNSC passes Resolution 699, confirming that UNSCOM and IAEA have the authority to conduct activities under section C of UNSCR 687. It also confirms that UNSCOM activities will be funded by Iraqi oil sales.
• UNSG argues that the 6 month oil sales ceiling should be raised to $2.4 billion, to be closer to the Sadruddin plan. The 661 Committee approves only $930 million worth of contracts in a 4 month period. One source claims that American intransigence was to make an aid program for Iraq look very unattractive to the Iraqi government, making the Iraqis the scapegoat for the rejection of the plan.

• Scheduled withdrawal date of Coalition troops withdrawn from northern Iraq.

• Major tells Parliament that British forces will remain in northern Iraq until the Kurds receive assurances of safety and an effective UN force is on the ground. The Americans postpone their withdrawal until mid-July.

• UNSCOM conducts its first missile inspection.

• Resumption of Turkish diplomatic presence in Baghdad.
• Sadruddin Aga Khan’s report to UNSG estimates an initial investment of $22 billion to restore Iraqi power, oil, water, sanitation, food, agriculture and health sectors to pre-Gulf War levels. The CIA estimated the initial investment at $30 billion.
• Sadruddin’s plan recommends full restoration of health services, 50% of pre-war electricity, 40% water/sanitation, enough food for a subsistence diet, agricultural restoration, limited repairs to northern oil fields to be subsidized by an initial sale of $2.65 billion of Iraqi oil over 4 months with the possibility of being renewed. The Iraqi government rejects this plan as an intrusion into Iraqi sovereignty. The proposal is debated in the UNSC for 3 weeks and the US, UK and France object to the oil sales ceiling.

• Sadruddin visits Nasiriya and finds a contrived situation in which the Iraqi military has temporarily withdrawn for his visit and re-deployed after he left.

• Coalition troops complete withdrawal of forces from northern Iraq to Turkey.

• Turkey announces that POISED HAMMER ground troops may only stay until September 1991.

• UN Executive Delegate’s office formally request for a sub-office in Kirkuk and is rejected by the Iraqi government.

• UNSCOM conducts its first biological weapons inspection.

• UNSC passes Resolution 706, which offers an opportunity for Iraq to purchase a limited amount of humanitarian needs through a sale of embargoed Iraqi oil. Iraq rejects this resolution as a violation of its state sovereignty.
• UNSC passes Resolution 707, which demands that Iraq provide without further delay full, final and complete disclosures of all WMD and ballistic missiles, as required by UNSCR 687.

• IAEA inspectors find large amounts of documentation relating to Iraq's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Iraq refuses to allow the team to leave the site with the documentation. A four-day standoff during which the team remained in the parking lot of the site ensues. Iraq permits the team to leave with the documents following a statement by the UNSC President, threatening enforcement action.

• Iraq refuses the return of 3,400 Kurdish refugees to Kirkuk, as per a prior arrangement with the KF.

• The first UNSCOM inspection team attempting to use helicopters is blocked by Iraq.

• Jamerson announces to Kurds that POISED HAMMER ground forces will be withdrawing from Turkey.

• UNSC passes Resolution 712, which confirms that a sum of $1.6 billion from a 6 month sale of Iraqi oil can be used to purchase humanitarian aid supplies.

• The Government of Iraq no longer controls the three northern governorates in Iraqi Kurdistan. Despite relative autonomy, sanctions remain in place against Iraqi Kurdistan so as not to encourage the partitioning of Iraq and to prevent "leakage" to Iraqi government-controlled areas.

• Last Coalition ground troops leave Turkey.
• Serious fighting between KF and Iraqi government erupts in Sulaymaniya, Kifri and Kalar. 200,000 are displaced.

• UNSC passes Resolution 715, which approves the plans for ongoing monitoring and verification submitted by UNSG (S/22871/Rev. l) and the Director General of the IAEA (S/22872/Rev.1).

• Iraq rejects UNSCR 715.

• Last of Kuwaiti oil fires extinguished. 3% of Kuwait’s reserve oil supply was destroyed during the Gulf War.
• After Iraq released British businessman Ian Richterm the UK unfreezes 70 million pounds of Iraqi assets to pay British firms for food and humanitarian goods. (580 million pounds is frozen by UK).

• 90% of the Iraqi refugees who fled during March and April have returned to Iraq.
• A "gentleman’s agreement" to "look favorably" upon requests for civilian clothing, supplies for infants and babies and water treatment parts is rejected by the 661 Committee.

1992

• In an attempt to control market forces, the Hussein regime arrests 550 leading merchants in Baghdad. 42 are executed and their bodies are shackled to telephone poles in front of their shops with signs reading, "Greedy Merchant."
• US forces tghter controls against "leakage" across the Jordan-Iraq border.
• Talks between the UN-Iraq are held in Vienna. Kofi Annan proposes the use of some oil facilities, despite UNSG recommendations.

• Iraq refuses to comply with an UNSCOM/IAEA decision to destroy certain facilities used in WMD programs. UNSC condemns the Iraqi decision to comply with these obligations. Iraq finally agrees to the destruction of those facilities and items.

• Giandomico Picco continues UN-Iraq talks.

• Iraq declares the existence of 89 previously undeclared ballistic missiles, chemical weapons and associated material which were unilaterally destroyed by Iraqi forces in the summer of 1991, in violation of UNSCR 687.

• Iraq calls for a halt of UNSCOM's aerial surveillance flights, making a veiled threat that the aircraft could be shot down. UNSC President issues a statement reaffirming UNSCOM's right to conduct such flights, to which Iraq backs down and states it will not carry out any military action aimed at UNSCOM's aerial flights.

• Iraq provides its first Full, Final and Complete Disclosures for its prohibited biological and missile programs. Iraq admits to having had only a "defensive" biological weapons programme.

• Iraq provides its first Full, Final and Complete Disclosure for its prohibited chemical weapons program.
• Iraqi National Congress, a consortium of Iraqi opposition groups, is founded in Geneva, and is based in London.

• Bush administration asks Congress for $40 million to help overthrow Hussein regime.

• UNSCOM begins the destruction of large quantities of Iraq's chemical weapons and production facilities.

6-29 July

• Iraq refuses an inspection team access to the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture. UNSCOM had information that the site contained archives related WMD. Access was obtained only after the threat of enforcement action by UNSC.

• Iraq rejects UNSCRs 706 and 712 on grounds that they violate Iraq’s sovereignty.

• INC holds congress in Salhadin, in Iraqi Kurdistan, drawing most of its membership from that region.

• UNSC passes Resolution 778, which transfers $4-5 billion from approximately 30 countries for oil sales after 6 August 1990.

• First commercial flight, a Khartoum-based flight carrying 35 tons of fresh meat, lands in Baghdad since the DESERT STORM.

• Bill Clinton is elected President of the United States.

1993

• Iraqi newspapers report 36,000 cars stolen in Iraq in 1993 alone.
• France no longer willing to use the threat of force to ensure freedom of action in Iraq for UNSCOM.
• Djerjian recommends that Jordan be given $50 million of military aid (held up since 1992) to support Jordan’s positive role in the Israel-Palestine peace process and its stricter implementation of Iraq sanctions.
• Marked warming of Turkey-Iraq relationship as Turkey joins France and Russia in calling for an end of sanctions as soon as para.22 of UNSCR 687 is met.

• Iraq refuses to allow UNSCOM the use of aircraft to fly into Iraq.
• Iraq starts incursions into the demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait and increases its military activity in the NFZs. The UNSC notes that Iraq's action is an "unacceptable and a material breach" of UNSCR 687 and warns Iraq of "serious consequences," were this aggressive behavior continues. The statement leads to air raids on sites in southern Iraq by France, the UK and the US.

• Iraq informs UNSCOM that it will be able to resume its flights.

• France, Russia and China wish to issue a UNSC Presidential Statement highlighting Iraq’s growing compliance with UNSCRs This move is rejected by the US and UK.

• US announces it foiled an Iraqi attempt to assassinate Bush during his 1993 trip to Kuwait.

• Martin Indyk, National Security Council’s Middle East advisor, launches the policy of "Dual Containment," American isolation of both Iran and Iraq. Clinton-era American interests in the Middle East are identified as Israel, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Most of the Permanent 5 members of the UNSC distance themselves from this policy.

• Iraq refuses to allow UNSCOM to install remote-controlled monitoring cameras at two missile engine test stands. UNSC warns Iraq of the serious consequences of material breaches of UNSCR 687. Subsequently, Iraq agrees to the installation of the monitoring cameras.
• Iraq returns to attempt to negotiate more flexibility in available funds. No progress is made.

• Iraqi policy shifts toward a full lifting of sanctions.

• Iraq attempts to trade acceptance of UNSCR 715 for a guarantee that sanctions would be lifted after the monitoring systems are in place. The US rejects this offer. Iraq begins to woo France, Russia and China toward lifting the sanctions.

• Iraq accepts UNSCR 715 and the plans for ongoing monitoring and verification.

1994

• From 1994, CIA has been pursuing covert contacts in Iraq in an effort to destabilize the Saddam Hussein regime.

• Israel and Jordan sign a peace treaty. The US responds to Jordan by granting debt forgiveness and supplying Jordan with F-16 fighter jets.
• Until 1994, US-led Maritime Interception Force conducted inspections of all Iraqi-bound ships from Aqaba.
• Smuggling fuel for re-sale begins again across the Turkey-Iraq border.
• Turkey-Iraq-UNSC negotiations over selling the contents of the shut-down pipeline—not "flushed out" since 1990—founder over disagreements regarding where the humanitarian aid purchased with the profits would go in northern Iraq.
• UK is one of the top 5 legitimate trading partners for Iraq. The other four are Jordan, South Korea, Turkey and Finland.
• $1.2 billion of food contracts and $215 million in medicine contracts are approved by the 661 Committee in 1994. This brings total approvals to $2.4 billion and $3.3 billion in rejected contracts.
• The Clinton policy on sanctions appears to be that sanctions are to remain and diplomatic moves are to limit debate, change the rationale ("goalposts") for sanctions and offer Iraq no incentives to comply with UNSCRs.
• A rapid decline in the humanitarian situation in Iraq is compounded by a reduction in available food rations.
• Khidhir Abdul Abbas Hamza, an Iraqi nuclear scientist defects to the United States.

• 40 TLAMs launched at Zaarfaraniya complex in retaliation for noncompliance with UNSCOM; one errant missile hits the al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad killing one civilian.

• Last Presidential Statement from the UNSC is issued following the every-60-day sanctions reviews. This indicates a lack of consensus among the P5 on the issue of Iraq sanctions. The US and UK oppose any "staged" lifting of sanctions, demanding immediate Iraqi compliance with all UNSCRs.

• Max van der Stoel, Special Rapporteur for the UN on Iraq, reports that the state of human rights in Iraq is "so grave that it has few parallels in the years that have passed since the Second World War."

• Clinton orders TLAM attack on Baghdad in retaliation for a foiled assassination attempt on George Bush traced back to Iraqi intelligence services. Eight civilians are killed, 12 are injured.

• Hussein delivers an uncharacteristically angry speech chastising the West for the renewal of economic sanctions. A $10,000 reward is given for the death of UN relief workers in Kurdistan.

• UNSCOM completes the destruction of large quantities of chemical warfare agents and precursors and their production equipment.

• Law 109 implemented in Iraq. This allows military deserters and thieves to be branded and have limbs amputated. Sentences carried out by Iraqi physicians. Up to 2,000 Iraqi soldiers were branded according to Iraqi refugees in Kuwait.

• Iraq sets a deadline of 10 October 1994 for the implementation of paragraph 22 of UNSCR 687, and starts deploying troops near Kuwait. In response, the United States deploys troops to Kuwait.

• Two men disfigured by Law 109 immolate themselves in Baghdad; One victim of disfigurement murders the physician in Nasiriya; a crowd raided the Bath Party in Amara and disfigured all Ba’athi officials; several hundred physicians went on strike in protest of Law 109.
• Law 117 issued that threatens disfigurement of any medical professional who assists in cosmetically rehabilitating those disfigured under Law 109.
• Iraq begins to again mass troops on the Iraq-Kuwait border.
• Clinton sends an aircraft carrier group to the Persian Gulf; US forces re-deployed to the Persian Gulf to stem a potential Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

• UNSC passes Resolution 949, which demands that Iraq "cooperate fully" with UNSCOM and withdraw all military units deployed near Kuwait.
• Iraq withdraws its forces and resumes compliance with UNSCOM.

• Wafiq Sammara’i, former head of Iraqi military intelligence defects to Jordan.

• First public records of the 661 Committee released in the form of oral briefings and press releases.
• $925 million worth of humanitarian contracts are still undecided by the 661 Committee; a total volume of $8.8 billion has passed through the Committee as of 1995.
• UNSCOM forms links with Israeli intelligence services, which lead to charges of spying.

• France signals its desire to open normal diplomatic relations with Iraq.

• Iraq provides the second Full, Final and Complete Disclosures of its prohibited biological and chemical weapons programs.
• Fearing a loss of international support for the US position on Iraq, Albright makes a tour of the UK, Czech Republic, Italy, Oman, Argentina and Honduras to shore up support.
• Russia, China and France circulate a draft UNSCR that would lift sanctions. It is rejected.

• UNSC passes Resolution 986, which proposes the "oil-for-food" program. Iraq would be able to sell $2 billion worth of embargoed oil for humanitarian needs every 6 months and renewable every 180 days. Iraq rejects 986 as a violation of its sovereignty.

• Iraq threatens to end all cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA if there is no progress towards the lifting of sanctions and the oil embargo by 31 August 1995.
• Iraq admits to developing biological weapons after four years of denial.

• As a result of UNSCOM's investigations, Iraq admits for the first time the existence of an offensive biological weapons program but denies weaponization.

• Iraq provides the third Full, Final and Complete Disclosure for its prohibited biological weapons program.

• General Hussein Kamel, Minister of Industry and Minerals and former Director of Iraq's Military Industrialization Corporation, with responsibility for all of Iraq's weapons programs, leaves Iraq for Jordan. Iraq claims that Kamel had hidden half a million pages of documentation from UNSCOM and the IAEA, revealing that Iraq had concealed major portions of its chemical and biological weapons programs from UNSCOM.
• Iraq withdraws its third Full, Final and Complete Disclosure and admits a far more extensive prohibited biological weapons program than previously admitted, including weaponization.
• Iraq also admits having achieved greater progress in its efforts to produce long-range missiles than had previously been declared. UNSCOM and IAEA are provided with large amounts of documentation related to WMD which subsequently lead to disclosures of Iraqi production of the nerve agent VX and nuclear weapon development. Iraq informs UNSCOM that the deadline to halt cooperation is withdrawn.

• Several senior Iraqi officials urge Hussein to accept UNSCR 986.
• Ekeus alleges that Iraq has misled UNSCOM on its ballistic missile, biological, chemical and nuclear programs and stated the need for new Iraqi declarations of its WMD holdings before UNSCR 687 can be implemented.

• King Hussein proposes—and quickly withdraws—a Iraqi-Jordanian Federation. This is largely an attempt to repair bruised relations with Iraq.

1996

• US begins to use Azraq, Jordan as a base from which American fighter jets patrol the southern NFZ.
• Iraq is still Jordan’s largest trading partner, accounting for 19% of Jordan’s exports and supplying 12% of Jordan’s imports. With the cessation of flights into Iraq, Jordan becomes the primary route to Baghdad.
• Turkey’s loss of revenue from lost oil pipeline flows from Iraq are estimated at $27.3 billion since the imposition of sanctions. The annual loss of revenue is approximately $400 from pipeline loss, and $2 billion from exports to Iraq. Turkey’s request to 661 Committee for an oil-exception to sanctions is continually refused, although the US looks the other way when smuggling occurs across the Turkey-Iraq border. Fuel smuggling involves an estimated 1,000 trucks/day with drivers making a profit od $600-700/trip.
• Maritime Interception Force interdicts 1 Iraqi-based ship/3-4 days.
• Confrontational style of Scott Ritter contributes significantly to Iraqi non-compliance with UNSCOM and UNSCRs.

• Iraq agrees to negotiate on acceptance of UNSCR 986.

• UNSCOM teams are denied immediate access to five sites designated for inspection. The teams enter the sites after delays of up to 17 hours.

• UNSC issues a statement expressing concern at Iraq's behavior, which is seen as a violation of Iraq's obligations under UNSC resolutions. UNSC also demands that Iraq allow UNSCOM teams immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to all sites designated for inspection.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1051, which imposes an export/import monitoring mechanism for Iraq and demands that Iraq meet unconditionally all its obligations under UNSCRs and cooperate fully with UNSCOM and the Director-General of the IAEA.

• UNSCOM supervises the destruction of Al-Hakam, Iraq's main facility for the production of biological warfare agents.

• A MoU is signed by the Government of Iraq and the UN spelling out the terms of Iraqi acceptance of UNSCR 986. Iraqi accepotance of 986 indicates fears of internal dissent if they did not, not concern over the humanitarian crisis.

• Iraq provides third Full, Final and Complete Disclosure of its prohibited chemical weapons programme. The progress achieved in verifying this disclosure, and subsequent attachments presented by Iraq, is described in the Commission's October 1997 report to UNSC (5/1997/774).
• Iraqi National Accord’s coup attempt (with CIA aid) is foiled by Iraqi military.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1060, which pronounces Iraq's recent actions a violation of the provisions of previous UNSCRs and demands that Iraq grant immediate and unrestricted access to all sites designated for inspection by UNSCOM.

• Iraq denies access to an UNSCOM inspection team. UNSC condemns the failure of Iraq to comply with its agreements and directs Butler visit Baghdad to secure access to all sites which UNSCOM designates for inspection.

• Butler visits Baghdad. UNSCOM and Iraq agree to a Joint Statement and a 1996 Joint Program of Action. Butler establishes permission for inspection of "sensitive sites," as a concession to Iraq's state sovereignty.

• Iraq provides the fourth Full, Final and Complete Disclosure of its prohibited biological weapons program.

• Iraq provides the third Full, Final and Complete Disclosure of its prohibited missile programme. The results achieved by the Commission verifying this disclosure, and subsequent attachments presented by Iraq, is described in the Commission's October 1997 report to the Security Council (5/1997/774).

• Hussein sends 40,000 troops to Arbil, in Kurdistan. The secret police follow and hundreds are killed and thousands of oppositionists are arrested.

• Iraqi military advances on Arbil postpone the UNSCR 986 negotiations with the UNSG.

• Iraq blocks UNSCOM from removing confiscated missile engines for analysis outside Iraq.

• UNSG files interim report (S/1996/978) on the implementation of UNSCR 986.

• UNSC demands that Iraq allow UNSCOM to remove the missile engines from its territory for further analysis.
• Turkey signs deal to purchase natural gas from NE Iraq for a 20-year period and construction of a pipeline for its transport. Turkey—along with a number of other countries—is lining up deals with Iraq to be implemented after sanctions are lifted.

• Phase I of UNSCR 986 implementation officially begins with the first pumping of Iraqi oil through Turkey.

1997

• Lukoil, a consortium of Russian oil companies, signs a contract to develop Iraq’s West Qurna Field.

• One flight/week is landing in Baghdad, despite sanctions.
• Fuel smuggling across Iraq-Turkey border is estimated to involve 50,000 b/d.
• After a number of false starts, relations between Iran and Iraq begin to improve. POW exchanges from the Iran-Iraq War take place and Iraq announces that the Shi’i holy cities of Najf and Kirbala will be open to Iranian pilgrims for the first time since 1991.

• The first proceeds from the sale of Iraqi oil are deposited in the UN Iraq Account (Escrow Account), at the Banque Nationale de Paris in New York City.

• Iraq allows UNSCOM to remove the missile engines.

• First shipment of commodities under UNSCR 986 (Phase I) is cleared at the Habur/Zakho border between Turkey and Iraq.

• Distribution of wheat flour begins throughout Iraq in the quantities envisaged in the MoU and UNSCR 986 distribution plan.

• On the basis of UNSCOM investigations, Iraq admits that VX has been produced.

• Iraq interferes with UNSCOM's helicopter operations, threatening the safety of the aircraft and their crews. UNSC deplores such incidents and demands that Iraq permit UNSCOM to carry out its air operations anywhere in Iraq without interference of any kind.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1111, which approves a 6-month extension of UNSCR 986 and authorizes another $2 billion in oil sales, beginning 8 June 1997.

• Phase II of the oil-for-food program officially begins. The Iraqi government announces that it will not begin pumping oil until a distribution plan for commodities is approved by the UNSG.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1115, which condemns Iraq's actions and demands that Iraq allow UNSCOM immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to any sites for inspection and officials. UNSC also calls for an additional report on Iraq's cooperation with UNSCOM and suspends every-60-day sanctions review process pending UNSCOM’s October 1997 report.

• Spain and Italy re-open their embassies in Baghdad.
• Ekeus leaves UNSCOM and is replaced by Richard Butler.

• UNSG approves of the distribution plan for Phase II of the oil-for-food program.

• Iraqi oil flow under UNSCR 1111 begins.

• Iraq provides fifth Full, Final and Complete Disclosure for its prohibited biological weapons program.
• Clinton decries Iranian complicity in smuggling commodities for Iraq inside Iranian territorial waters.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1129, which grants Iraq an additional 30 days to sell oil to reach the target of $1 billion in sales for the first half of Phase II. A two-month delay in the pumping of Phase II oil resulted in a $500 million shortfall of Phase II goals.

• One UNSCOM team member is manhandled by an Iraqi officer on board the UNSCOM helicopter while attempting to take photographs of unauthorized movement of Iraqi vehicles inside a site that was designated for inspection.

• Iraq again failed to stop movement inside a site designated for inspection.

• While seeking access to a site for inspection declared by Iraq to be "sensitive," UNSCOM inspectors witness and videotape the movement of files, the burning of documents and dumping of the ashes into a nearby river.

• UNSCOM inspection teams are prevented from inspecting three sites designated for inspection, on the basis that the sites are "presidential sites", which Iraq claims are out of bounds to inspectors.

• UNSCOM completes the destruction of additional, large quantities of chemical weapons related equipment and precursor chemicals.

• UNSG announces the creation of the UN Office of the Iraq Programme (UNOIP), effective 15 October 1997, to coordinate and manage UN humanitarian efforts in Iraq.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1134, which demands that Iraq cooperate fully with UNSCOM, and continues the suspension of the periodic sanctions reviews and implies the threat of a travel ban for senior Iraqi officials pending a further report on Iraq's cooperation with UNSCOM. This resolution is remarkable because 3 of the P5 (France, China and Russia) joined Kenya and Egypt in abstaining form the vote. Iraq responded by calling on UNSCOM to rid itself of American members.

• Butler sends a letter to Aziz, suggesting an agenda for forthcoming meetings in Baghdad. The letter proposes that Iraq address important outstanding issues, (i.e. warheads, VX and biological weapons). It also mentions the need to review the "modalities for inspection of sensitive sites" to ensure that inspections are conducted in a credible manner.

• UNSC rejects Aziz’s letter and its "unacceptable" demands. The UNSC also demands that Iraq cooperate fully, without restrictions or conditions with UNSCOM, and warns of the serious consequences of Iraq's failure to comply immediately and fully with its obligations under relevant UNSCRs.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1137, which condemns the continued Iraqi violations of UNSCRs, and Iraq’s decision to attempt to impose conditions on its cooperation with UNSCOM. A travel restriction is imposed on all Iraqi officials who are responsible for or participated in the instances of non-compliance.

• The UNSC adopts a Presidential Statement (S/PRST/1997/51), which condemns the decision of Iraq to expel American UNSCOM personnel and demands Iraq to rescind its decisions of 29 October 1997 and cooperate fully with UNSCOM.

• Following intensive diplomatic action an agreement is reached between Iraq and the Russia whereby Iraq accepts the return of UNSCOM with its full complement of staff to resume its work in Iraq.

• An Emergency Session of UNSCOM is held in New York in order to discuss and advise on ways to make UNSCOM more effective. The report of the Emergency Session was submitted to the UNSC (document S/1997/922).

• UNSC endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Emergency Session of UNSCOM (document S/PRST/1997/54).

• UNSC passes Resolution 1143, extending the oil-for-food program for another 6 months with the same ceiling of $2 billion in oil sales. The UNSG is to conduct a supplementary review of Iraqi humanitarian needs.

• Phase III of the oil-for-food program officially begins. The Iraqi government announces that Phase II oil will not flow until the UNSG approves of the Phase II Distribution Plan.

• Butler returns to New York from Iraq and reports, inter alia, to UNSC that Iraq would not UNSCOM inspectors into "Presidential and Sovereign sites" hitherto unrecognized by UNSC or UNSCOM (document S/1997/987).

• UNSC issues a statement (document S/PRST/1997/56) calling upon the Government of Iraq to cooperate fully with UNSCOM which stresses that failure by Iraq to provide immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to any site is an unacceptable and violation of the relevant UNSCRs.

• UNSG proposes that the oil sales for the oil-for-food program be doubled to show that the Iraqi people are not the target of sanctions.

• UNSG approves of Phase II oil-for-food distribution plan.

• Butler reports to UNSC that during the first day of an inspection, Iraq announced that it was withdrawing its cooperation with the inspection team on the basis that the inspection team had too many individuals of American and British nationality (document S/1998/27 of 13 January 1998).

• Iraq continues to block the work of the inspection team. In response, UNSC issues a statement terming Iraq’s actions unacceptable and a violation of relevant resolutions and reiterated its demand that Iraq cooperate fully and immediately without conditions (document S/PRST/1998/1).
• First shipments of Iraqi Phase III oil leave Ceyhan, Turkey and the Mina al-Bakr Port.

• Following a visit to Iraq, Butler reports to UNSC that despite the previous UNSC statement on the need for unrestricted access to all sites, Aziz continues to assert that Iraq will not permit access to eight "Presidential sites" (document S/1998/58).

• UNSG issues a supplementary report (document S/1998/90) offering proposals to improve contract approval and delivery for the oil-for-food program. Recommendations are also made to enhance the food basket to provide additional calories and animal proteins, and raise the oil sales ceiling from $2 billion to $5.2 billion every 6 months.

• Two technical evaluation meetings (TEM) take place in Baghdad reviewing the 1998 position with respect to the chemical weapons agent VX and missile warheads. The report of the outcome of the meetings is submitted to the Council (document S/1998/176). In sum, the report states that despite Iraq’s assertions UNSCOM concludes that Iraq has still not provided sufficient information to declare that sufficient disarmament measures have been taken in these areas.

• In order to understand the scope (size and perimeters) of the eight Presidential sites which Iraq had decided to declare off-limits to UNSCOM, Annan dispatches a technical survey team to Iraq. The report of this mission is forwarded to UNSC (S/1998/166 Add.1).

• Security concerns lead to a relocation of UNOIP staff and partial suspension of humanitarian activities in central/southern Iraq.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1153, which authorizes the oil sales ceiling to be raised to $5.2 billion every 6 months. The resolution also calls for the UNSG to appoint some oil experts to investigate Iraq’s oil producing capacity and the need for spare parts in the Iraqi oil industry.

• Annan visits Iraq to defuse the political crisis over UNSCOM. As a result of his meetings, the UN and Iraq agree to a MoU (document S/1998/166) which was signed on 23 February. Annan secures Iraq’s confirmation of acceptance of all relevant resolutions of the UNSC and the expectation of full cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA. For its part, the UN reiterates the commitment of all member states to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq. The MoU also directs UNSCOM to respect the legitimate concerns of Iraq relating to national security, sovereignty and dignity, and provides for the establishment of special procedures which would apply to inspections at the eight Presidential sites. The MoU also makes provisions for the appointment of a Commissioner to head the Special Group established for the inspections at Presidential sites. Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala is appointed to this position by the Secretary-General.

• Most UNOIP personnel return from Amman and Arbil to Baghdad.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1154, which endorses the provisions of the MoU and threatens "the severst consequences" if Iraq continues to block UNSCOM.

• Pursuant to the MoU, procedures for initial and subsequent entry to the sites are drawn up and presented to UNSC (document S/1998/208).

• UNSCOM and Iraq conduct a further technical evaluation meeting (TEM) in Vienna dealing with all htmlects of the Iraqi biological weapons program.

• IAEA close to ending its investigation of Iraqi nuclear program and to moving on to remote monitoring of Iraq, pursuant to UNSCR 715.

• The initial entry to the eight presidential sites is completed by mission UNSCOM 243.

• The report of the biological weapons TEM is transmitted to UNSC (document S/1998/308). As with the other TEMs, the experts unanimously conclude that Iraq’s declaration on its biological weapons program is incomplete and inadequate.

• The report of the Special Group on the visit to presidential sites is submitted to UNSC by the Secretary-General (document S/1998/326).
• UNSG transmits the oil indystry experts report on the Iraqi oil industry. The report recommends the provision of spare parts to Iraq so Iraq can meet UNSC goals for oil sales under relevant UNSCRs.

• UNSCOM’s latest semi-annual consolidated report is submitted to UNSC (document S/1998/332).

• Butler informs UNSC (document S/1998/377) that UNSCOM requirements with respect to access to sites are sufficiently implemented to allow for the termination of the travel ban called for in UNSCR 1137.

• UN releases new figures provided by the World food Program that shows the average time any given food contract takes to clear the 661 committee fell from 68 days to 26 days from Phase I to Phase II; but foreign food suppliers time to ship food to Iraq increased from 67 days to 73 days in the same time period.

• UNSG approves the enhanced distribution plan for humanitarian needs, which doubles the size of the program from actual $3.1 billion in oil sales to an estimated $4.8 billion.

• Butler agrees a schedule for work on certain outstanding disarmament issues with Aziz covering the following six weeks (see document S/1998/529 reporting the outcome of the visit).

• UNSC passes Resolution 1175, authorizing Iraq to import $300 million in oil industry spare parts so it can increase oil production for the oil-for-food program.

• UNOIP Benon Sevan visits Iraq to investigate ways of improving performance in implementing the oil-for-food program.

• Sevan briefs UNSC on his visit to Iraq.

• During his visit to Baghdad, Aziz tells Butler that he must certify to UNSC that the requirements of section C of UNSCR 687 have been met. Butler responds that he is not in a position to do so. Aziz then suspends the talks.

• Iraq announces the suspension of all cooperation with UNSCOM.

• The Revolutionary Command Council and the Ba’ath Party Command decide to halt cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA pending UNSC agreement to lift the oil embargo (as a first step towards ending the sanctions), reorganize UNSCOM and move it to either Geneva or Vienna. In the interim, Iraq would permit monitoring under UNSCR 715.

• Butler briefs UNSC on the in Baghdad (document S/1998/719). The UNSC President calls Iraq’s actions "totally unacceptable."

• Butler informs UNSC (document S/1998/767) that in addition to halting all disarmament, Iraq’s actions with respect to monitoring have impinged on the effectiveness of the monitoring system and UNSCOM cannot, therefore, continue to provide UNSC with the same level of assurances of Iraqi compliance with obligations not to reestablish its proscribed WMD programs.

• In a letter from the President of the Council (S/1998/769), the Security Council reiterates its support for UNSCOM in the full implementation of its mandate and notes that Iraq is obliged to provide UNSCOM with cooperation necessary for it to undertake activities, including inspections.

• Butler proposes, in a letter to Aziz that Iraq and UNSCOM resume the full range of activity. Aziz rejects Butler’s proposal and states that Iraq does not trust Butler or the elements dominating UNSCOM and that there is no use in resuming work with UNSCOM.

• Butler briefs UNSCon the status of UNSCOM’s work in Iraq, including three incidents where Iraq has placed further limits on the UNSCOM’s rights and activities with respect to monitoring.

• UNSG 90-day oil-for-food program report is presented to the UNSC by Sevan. The importance of increasing approvals for contracts for oil industry spare parts is emphasized, since the shortfall between the UNSC authorized amount of oil sales and the Iraqi production capacity is estimated at $1 billion.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1194, which condemns Iraq’s decision to suspend cooperation with UNSCOM. The resolution demands that Iraq rescind its decision and suspends the 60-day sanctions reviews until Iraq rescinds its 5 August decision and the UNSCOM reports to UNSC that it is satisfied that it has been able to exercise its full range of activities, including inspections.

• Hans von Sponeck is appointed by the UNSG as UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq, replacing Denis Halliday, who had resigned in protest of the sanctions policy.

• Sevan meets with Iraqi foreign minister to discuss need for prioritizing contracts sent to 661 committee because of shortfalls. Sevan then briefs 661 committee on concerns of slow approvals for oil industry spare parts.
• Iraqi Liberation Act passed in US Congress, which authorizes $97 million to train and supply an Iraqi opposition militia. The opposition groups ear-marked for funding by the US are: INC, Iraqi National Accord, Islamic Movement of Iraqi Kurdistan, Movement for Constitutional Monarchy, KDP, PKK and Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.

• UNSCOM submits its semi-annual report (S/1998/920) to UNSC.

• Butler briefs UNSC on the UNSCOM semi-annual report.

• Following withdrawal of UNSCOM staff and mounting security concerns, IN Security Coordinator decides to move Baghdad-based UN personnel to Amman.

• UN personnel return to Baghdad.

• UNSG report for Phase IV of the Oil-for-food program is presented to the UNSC.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1210, which extends the oil-for-food program for another 6 months, effective 26 November.

• Phase V of the oil-for-food program officially begins.

• Iraq submits a new distribution plan for Phase V projected oil revenues, based on just $2.59 billion.

• Phase V oil exports are shipped.

• UNSG approves Phase V distribution plan after positive Iraqi response to an additional $150 million allocation to food sector, bringing the total Phase V humanitarian allocation to $2.74 billion.

16 December: Operation DESERT FOX

• Bilateral military action by the United States and United Kingdom (Operation DESERT FOX) commences against Iraq. This is the most intense bombardment of Iraq since Operation DESERT STORM.
• The target of the air strikes appear to be the Iraqi regime, not the WMD sites.
• UN staff was not evacuated before the action started.

• UN temporarily relocates most staff to Amman.

• Operation DESERT FOX ends.
• Iraq continues suspension of cooperation with UNSCOM.

• UN returns most staff members to Baghdad.

• UNSG reports to UNSC on the need for additional spare parts for Iraqi oil industry.

• Allegations surface that US and UK used UNSCOM for their own intelligence gathering purposes. France, Russia and China demand the immediate lifting of sanctions.

• UNOIP is told that Iraq can no longer guarantee the safety of its American and British staff members. The UN replies that the government of Iraq has a responsibility to the safety of all UN staff members.

• Von Sponeck visits southern Iraq to report on post-DESERT FOX airstrikes, and is severely criticized by US State Department spokespersons for doing so.

• UNSC establishes three separate panels to deal with Iraqi disarmament, humanitarian concerns, and Kuwaiti POWs still listed as missing. Ambassador Celso Amorim of Brazil is to head the panels.

• UN withdraws all American and British nationals from UN operations in Iraq.

• Sevan presents the UNSG 90-day report on Phase V if the oil-for-food program. Sevan emphasizes the consequences of revenue shortfalls.

• The flow of oil-for-food oil is stopped at the pipeline between Kirku and Ceyhan because of DESERT FOX-related damage.

• Sevan advises UNSC on need to oil flows and presents reports on air strike damage.

• Sevan sends a letter to the 661 Committee describing how shortfalls in Phase IV resulted in reducing humanitarian allocations to Iraq and predicts the same for Phase V.

• Amorim presents the results of the three panels to UNSC.

• Letter from UNSG transmits report of oil industry experts on state of Iraq’s oil infrastructure.

• Review and assessment of oil-for-food program from December 1996-November 1998 is released.

• UNSG approves of telecommunications revision to the oil-for-food distribution plan.

• Sevan presents the 180-review of Phase V of the oil-for-food program to the UNSC. He emphasizes that the program cannot—and was never meant to—meet all humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people or restore Iraq’s economic and social infrastructure to pre-1990 levels.
• UNSC passes Resolution 1242, which extends the oil-for-food program for another 6 months.

• The first oil is exported from Iraq under Phase VI of the oil-for-food program.

• UN rejects Iraqi allegations that the UN sabotaged Iraq’s oil pipelines to retard Iraqi recovery efforts.

• UNSG approves of Phase VI distribution plan.

• Sevan visits Iraq to review oil-for-food Program with Aziz. Sevan also visits Iraqi Kurdistan.

• UNSG submits to the UNSC a detailed list of parts and equipment needed for Iraq’s oil industry, pursuant to UNSCR 1175.

• UNSG 90-day report of Phase VI is released to the UNSC.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1266, which allows Iraq to export an additional $3.04 billion of oil to compensate for Phase IV and V shortfalls.

• UNSG recommends that UNSC approve the request to increase oil industry spare parts allocation to $600 million in Phase VI.

• UNSG expresses concern about the growing number holds placed on commodities for Iraq by the 661 Committee that result in serious delays for the oil-for-food program.

• Sevan presents the UNSG’s 180-day report of Phase VI to the UNSC and states that a new review is going to be undertaken to suggest further measures to enhance the effectiveness of the oil-for-food program.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1275, which extends Phase VI for two weeks.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1280, which extends the oil-for-food program for another week.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1281, which extends the oil-for-food program for another 6 months.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1284, which stresses the importance of Iraqi compliance with all UNSCRs and establishes a new weapons inspection commission—UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC)—to replace UNSCOM.

• UNSG approves of the distribution of Phase VII of the oil-for-food program which includes $3.5 billion for humanitarian needs and $600 million in oil industry spare parts.

• UNSG releases report on Iraqi compliance with UNSCR 1284.
• UNSG sends list of oil spare parts needed in Iraq for Phase VII of the oil-for-food program.

• Sevan briefs the UNSC.

• UNSG releases report on humanitarian needs and state of the Iraqi oil industry to UNSC, pursuant to paras. 28 and 30 of UNSCR 1284.

• Report of oil industry experts appointed by UNSG on Iraqi oil industry made to UNSC, pursuant to para. 30 of UNSCR 1284.

• UNSG makes statement to UNSC on Iraqi humanitarian situation.

• UNSG appoints Tun Myat of Myanmar to UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq when Hons Von Sponeck resigns in protest (like Denis Halliday before him) of sanctions policy.

• Acclerated procedures are put in place for humanitarian goods in the 661 Committee.

• Sevan briefs 661 Committee on UN Observation Mechanism in Iraq.

• UNSG issues report on Phase VII of the oil-for-food program to the UNSC.

• Sevan briefs UNSC’s informal consultation.

• UNSC passes Resolution 1302, which extends the oil-for-food program for another 6 months as of 9 June. Acclerated procedures are adopted for water purification and sanitation equipment for Phase VIII.

• UNSG approves distribution plan for Phase VIII of oil-for-food program.

   

Graham-Brown, Sanctioning Saddam;