In article ,
(Tchiowa) wrote:

The fact is that we supported Saddam during the Iraq/Iran war. When he
gassed the Kurds we absolutely condemned in and began the process of
isolating him that continued until last year

That's unfortunately not the fact. The facts are that:

****"In March 1984, under international pressure, America condemned
Iraq's use of such chemical weapons. But realising that Baghdad had been
upset, Secretary of State George Schultz asked Mr Rumsfeld to travel to
Iraq as a special envoy to meet Saddam's Foreign Minister, Tariq Aziz,
and smooth matters over.

*****In a briefing memo to Mr Rumsfeld, Mr Shultz wrote that he had met
Iraqi officials in Washington to stress that America's interests
remained "in (1) preventing an Iranian victory and (2) continuing to
improve bilateral relations with Iraq".

*****The memo adds: "This message bears reinforcing during your
discussions."

*****Exactly what Mr Rumsfeld, who at the time did not hold government
office, told Mr Aziz on 26 March 1984, remains unclear and minutes from
the meeting remain classified. No one from Mr Rumsfeld's office was
available to comment yesterday."