"Do you believe that US Govt had a covert operation to counter supply Iran against Iraq ? (perhaps led by a Marine named Col North)"

>>Not really. Iran-Contra was a specific deal, trading arms for hostages. But it doesn't appear to have been part of a wide spread policy. Most of the weapons bought as part of Iran-Contra where funneled back in Nicaragua, not sent to Iran. Iran at the time was desperate for supplies and willing to deal with anybody because black market supplies where the only ones available. Iran actually bought supplies from Isreal during the war.


Yup I too understood that Ollie North was doing a secret hostages for weapons deal. I also believe Ollie was managing the financing & arming of the contras in Nicaragua at about the same time - a fact the Reagan later denied he knew about (that was when Reagan began to be known as the teflon president). Your points are good.


***************

Do you believe the Kuwaitis would ever stoop to slant drilling into Iraq oil ?

>>Would? Yes. Did? Harder to say. Kuwait has little reason to do so after all. It's not like they have a shortage of oil. And note that in the transcript below, Saddam doesn't actually complain about slant drilling but does complain about the price of oil.


On balance, I believe they did do so but it is now a moot point.


***************

RE your link to the Hussien Glaspie meeting - that was a very good read. I have never read the full transcript before. I had thought it was a letter from Glaspie to Hussien. I saw photocopies but I now think they were of a transcript of Glaspie's replies.

Thanks for adding to my knowledge of the events - I really found that transcript interesting

Cheers

Doug