Resource Tycoon Reborn

Chapter 197 Trap

On July 23, U.S. spy satellites detected that Iraq had deployed three divisions of about 35,000 troops in an area about 32 kilometers away from the border with Kuwait. On July 24, in order to express concern about this matter, the United States

A joint naval exercise was held with the United Arab Emirates. However, when answering reporters' questions that day, the U.S. State Department spokeswoman emphasized: "The United States does not have a defense treaty with Kuwait and has no special defense commitments to it."

On July 24, Egyptian President Mubarak visited Iraq and Kuwait in an attempt to resolve the dispute through his own mediation.

Mubarak formally made four suggestions to both parties in the conflict: first, the two sides should stop attacking propaganda and threatening war against each other; second, the two sides should limit the issue to the Arab countries and not internationalize it in any form;

Third, the two sides will convene a meeting in Jeddah in the near future with the participation of Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the peaceful settlement of this dispute; fourth, during the process of resolving this dispute, the two sides will not discuss the border issue for the time being.

Mubarak's mediation was successful, with Iran and Kuwait halting propaganda attacks and senior leaders of both countries agreeing to hold direct talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Saddam also solemnly promised Mubarak that he would not provoke a war or use force before the conclusion of negotiations with Kuwait. He would do his best to peacefully resolve disputes between the two countries.

In order to show Saddam's sincerity, Iraq also pulled back nearly 90,000 troops assembled along the Iraq-Kuwait border in the early morning of the 26th, making people breathe a sigh of relief over the increasingly tense situation in the Gulf.

"Mingyuan, do you think they won't be able to fight?" After hearing the news, Mr. Guo couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

Fang Mingyuan smiled confidently and said: "Grandpa, in the history of world wars, are there many examples of false claims, false claims, false claims, attacks on the west, and despicable sneak attacks? If the guarantees of politicians were effective, there would be no such thing as Germany's invasion of Belgium and the attack on the Soviet Union during World War II; more

There was no Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It can be said that the guarantees of politicians are the least credible thing in the world! If the Kuwaiti leader cannot even see through this, then he deserves to be destroyed."

Fang Mingyuan remembered clearly that in his previous life, it was not until several years after Saddam was captured and hanged by American soldiers that a large number of reports on the Gulf War were declassified. According to a later declassified report, late at night on July 24, Iraq

President Saddam summoned April Glasper, the U.S. ambassador to Baghdad, and regarded this meeting with the U.S. ambassador as the most senior meeting. In this meeting, Saddam adopted a very tough attitude

He expressed his dissatisfaction with the United States. He believed that the U.S. government allowed the news media to vilify and attack the Iraqi government, and that some forces within the United States were secretly in contact with Gulf countries in an attempt to overthrow the Iraqi regime. Moreover, Saddam revealed in his words

Kuwait is currently Iraq's biggest enemy, and he hopes that the United States will not interfere in the internal affairs of the Arab world. During the meeting, the U.S. ambassador said that she fully understood the content of Saddam's conversation. Regarding some important issues involved in the meeting,

Although she cannot give a formal answer on behalf of the U.S. government, she is willing to express her personal views on relevant issues. Regarding U.S.-Iran relations, she said: She has received instructions from the President of the United States to improve relations with Iraq as soon as possible.

When tensions between Iraq and Kuwait were on the verge of breaking out, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq's answer was tantamount to loosening the reins on Iraq, making Saddam believe that the United States had no intention of interfering with Iraq's actions in the Middle East. As long as the United States did not

Iraq, which intervened and fought the Iran-Iraq war for eight years, is undoubtedly the country with the most military strength among Arab countries besides Iran. Although Iraq does not yet possess nuclear weapons, Saddam has publicly stated that Iraq possesses chemical weapons.

arms.

Without the constraints of the United States, the Soviet Union had a very good relationship with Iraq at that time. Iraq's military force was top-notch in the Arab world. Saada had strong ambitions and was eager to use Kuwait's wealth to get rid of Iraq's financial difficulties.

Mu, he will never retract his claws until he is thoroughly beaten.

Therefore, Fang Mingyuan is not impatient at all. In his view, this invasion war is imminent, and Saddam's actions are just a smoke screen to paralyze the Kuwaiti government and other Arab countries.

Mr. Guo couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. He seemed to be really old, so why didn't any young man keep his composure?

Lin Lian walked over quickly, handed the big brother in her hand to Fang Mingyuan, and whispered: "Minister Su's phone number."

Fang Mingyuan quickly reached out and took it.

At this time, Su Huandong felt extremely regretful. Before Fang Mingyuan left for the United States, he once mentioned to him that he was worried about possible changes in the Middle East, but at that time he did not take it to heart - the Iran-Iraq War

There has been a ceasefire. Although Iraq has been engaged in a war of words with Kuwait and the Emirates of the United Arab Emirates, there are still few countries in the world engaging in wars of words. Moreover, it is not that domestic strategic experts have not analyzed and studied this matter and concluded that it is a war.

The possibility is very small.

The reason is also very simple. First, the Iran-Iraq war has just ceased fire. The Iraqi army, which has been fighting for eight years, also needs time to rest and recuperate. Before a formal peace treaty is concluded with Iran, I am afraid the Iraqis will not dare to be careless;

Secondly, unlike Iran, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates basically belong to the same sect of Islam as the Iraqis. In the Iran-Iraq war, they belonged to the same camp. The two countries repaid Iraq a huge amount of loans, and Iraq sent troops without any name;

, Saudi Arabia and the United States will never sit back and watch this happen. Therefore, domestic experts believe that the possibility of a war breaking out is very small.

In addition, he was busy with internal affairs of the Ministry of Railways at the time, so he put the matter aside. No one expected that the situation in Iraq and Kuwait would develop to the current tense level in just over a month, which made the situation tense.

The gang experts were all shocked.

Su Huandong then remembered that Fang Mingyuan had mentioned to him more than a month ago that there might be changes in the Middle East, so he called to inquire. Fang Mingyuan was worried that his phone might be eavesdropped, so he changed his landline and called Su Huandong again.

Went back.

"Mingyuan, what do you think of the development of the situation in the Middle East?" Su Huandong asked bluntly.

"The Iraq-Kuwait war will definitely break out, and within a day, all of Kuwait will be occupied by Iraq!" Fang Mingyuan said categorically.

Su Huandong on the phone was silent for a long time, seeming to be digesting this shocking news.

"You mean the war between Iraq and Kuwait is inevitable?" Su Huandong's voice was quite low. He did not ask where Fang Mingyuan came to this judgment. Obviously, in Su Huandong's mind, this answer already existed.

"At this point, unless Saddam changes his mind, otherwise..." Although Fang Mingyuan did not continue, Su Huandong already understood what he meant.

"Grandpa Su, in my personal opinion, the United States will never allow Iraq to occupy Kuwait. If Iraq, which has the second largest oil reserves in the world, occupies Kuwait, which has the fourth largest oil reserves in the world, in terms of oil reserves,

It is close to or has simply surpassed the number one Saudi Arabia. Moreover, unlike Saudi Arabia, which is pro-American, Iraq does not have a tradition of being close to Americans. On the contrary, most of the time, the relationship with the United States is not good. Americans are not

Will allow their oil sources to be controlled by Iraq." When Fang Mingyuan said this, his heart suddenly moved. Judging from the reaction of the Americans after Iraq invaded Kuwait in his previous life, it was indeed what he said, and he did not allow others to touch the Middle East.

Oil depot.

But everyone has to admit that whether it was the American information that was declassified before Iraq invaded Kuwait or later, the Americans at that time indeed made it quite clear to the Iraqi government, and even to the world, that the United States had no intention of intervening.

In the affairs of the Middle East, it will not be involved in the Gulf conflict, let alone bear the responsibility of protecting Kuwait.

Fang Mingyuan remembered that in his previous life, a few days after the Iraqi army retreated, it moved forward to the border with Kuwait again. This time it was a hundred thousand troops, including hundreds of tanks and artillery. However, Washington still maintained its stance on this.

silence.

He also saw a report that mentioned that on July 31, the day before the last negotiation between Iraq and Kuwait, US Assistant Secretary of State John Kelly went to the US House of Representatives' Middle East Subcommittee.

Testify. A congressman at the time asked whether the United States had the obligation to defend Kuwait if it was invaded.

Assistant Secretary of State Kelly responded that the United States does not have a defense agreement with the Gulf countries. Although the United States supports the independence and security of friendly countries in the region, it also believes that the sovereignty of every Gulf country should be respected and all disputes should be resolved peacefully.

But there is indeed no treaty or obligation that forces the U.S. government to send troops.

On the next day, that is, the day before the Iraqi army invaded Kuwait, at this critical moment of war and peace, the British BBC radio station broadcast the above speech of US Assistant Secretary of State John Kelly, which can be said to be a tribute to Iraqi President Salvador Salah.

Dam indirectly conveyed the assurance that the United States had no intention of getting involved in the Gulf conflict. Also on this day, the CIA once again warned the US government that Iraq would invade Kuwait. However, the US government did not take any action and even warned the Americans

Don’t travel to Kuwait either…

Fang Mingyuan's hand holding the phone receiver trembled slightly involuntarily. A thought that he had never thought of in his previous life suddenly appeared in his mind. From the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war to the hanging of Saddam Hussein,

For more than 20 years since the US military occupied Iraq, the US has prepared to set a big trap in order to return to the Middle East and control the initiative in the world oil market!

The information that Fan Mingyuan has seen in his previous life and has learned these days has proved that the reason why Iraq is able to claim the first place in the Arabian Peninsula in terms of military force is inseparable from the support of the Americans. At that time, in 197

In 1999, turmoil broke out in Iran, and the former Shah of Iran had to flee overseas. Religious leader Khomeini returned to Iran from Paris after 14 years of exile to take over power, and proclaimed the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran on April 1. In 1980, Iraq

A war broke out with Iran.

During the Iran-Iraq War, the United States considered the policy of containing Khomeini's Islamic Revolution from exporting. When the Iraqi army lost on the battlefield, it adopted a stance of supporting Iraq and not only did not condemn Saddam Hussein's initiative to launch an attack on Iran.

Not only did it not condemn the Iraqi army's use of chemical weapons in the war, it also led other Western countries to sell various advanced weapons and equipment to Iraq, and from time to time provided the Iraqi military with satellite photos of the activities of the Iranian army.

It can be said that it was precisely because of the help of Western countries led by the United States that Iraq maintained an undefeated situation during the eight-year Iran-Iraq War ceasefire. However, as far as Fang Mingyuan knew, it seemed that the United States was secretly selling weapons to Iran at the same time.

Weapons and equipment, and there was an Iran-Contra scandal.

After the ceasefire was achieved in the Iran-Iraq War, Western countries led by the United States, in addition to helping Iraq recover its economy, continued to provide it with advanced weapons and equipment, and remained silent on Iraq's production of chemical weapons and research on nuclear weapons. In this way, Iraq

With the single-handed support of the Americans, it has become the country with the most powerful military power in the Middle East besides Iran.

Later, when Iraq made territorial claims to Kuwait, demanded billions of dollars in compensation for allegedly "stealing oil", and massed troops on the Kuwait border, although the U.S. leaders understood the situation, they did not respond to Saddam's actions.

An action gives any warning.

This gave Saddam a wrong signal - he believed that the Americans were not opposed to Kuwait's 'sacrifice' of ceding territory and making compensation to Iraq to a certain extent. The Bush administration hoped to maintain the balance of power in the Gulf region and still regarded Iraq's military strength as

In order to contain the balancing power of the Islamic regime of Iran and the anti-American Baath Party regime in Syria, he dared to risk the disapproval of the world and invade Kuwait.

So to sum up, before Iraq attempted to invade Kuwait, the United States not only never explicitly warned Saddam Saddam not to use force in the conflict with Kuwait, but instead sent a series of vague and even wrong diplomatic signals. And these mistakes were

Diplomatic signals encouraged Saddam to take action.

The purpose of the United States in doing this is to make Iraq's military power pose a threat to the Gulf countries, so that these countries have to seek protection from the United States and actively invite the U.S. military to return to the Middle East on a large scale!