by Puller

Created on: September 04, 2007

This is an article I wrote on newsvine before I found helium:

Ever since the Gulf War in 1991 Iraq has had poor relations with the U.N. United States and the United Kingdom. After the Gulf war The United States and United Kingdom enforced many economic sanctions against Iraq. Also the United Kingdom and United States patrolled Iraqi airspace, enforcing Iraqi no fly zones which were set up after the Gulf War to protect Kurds in Northern Iraq and Shi'ites in southern Iraq. The no-fly zone over these areas of Iraq were contested by Iraqi Military planes and helicopters. Weapon inspectors were sent in to gather information on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program, and to enforce the 1991 cease fire terms.

On October 31th, 1998 the Iraqi Liberation Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. President Clinton stated purpose of this act is, "to establish a program to support a transition to democracy in Iraq." Also Congress stated, "It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime."

So you may be asking what is exactly in this Iraqi Liberation Act of 1998? Well here are a few of the finding of congress stated in the act:

1. On September 22, 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, starting an 8 year war in which Iraq employed chemical weapons against Iranian troops and ballistic missiles against Iranian cities.

2. In February 1988, Iraq forcibly relocated Kurdish civilians from their home villages in the Anfal campaign, killing an estimated 50,000 to 180,000 Kurds.

3. On March 16, 1988, Iraq used chemical weapons against Iraqi Kurdish civilian opponents in the town of Halabja, killing an estimated 5,000 Kurds and causing numerous birth defects that affect the town today.

4. On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded and began a 7 month occupation of Kuwait, killing and committing numerous abuses against Kuwaiti civilians, and setting Kuwait's oil wells ablaze upon retreat.

5. Hostilities in Operation Desert Storm ended on February 28, 1991, and Iraq subsequently accepted the ceasefire conditions specified in United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 (April 3, 1991) requiring Iraq, among other things, to disclose fully and permit the dismantlement of its weapons of mass destruction programs and submit to long-term monitoring and verification of such dismantlement.

6. In April 1993, Iraq orchestrated a failed plot to assassinate

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