On June 18, 1990, Saddam told an Islamic Conference meeting in Baghdad: “We will strike at with all the arms in our possession if they attack Iraq or the Arabs.” He declared “Palestine has been stolen,” and exhorted the Arab world to “recover the usurped rights in Palestine and free Jerusalem from Zionist captivity” (Baghdad Domestic Service, June 18, 1990). The head of the Iraqi Air Force subsequently said he had orders to strike Israel if the Jewish State launched a raid against Iraq or any other Arab country (UPI, April 22, 1990). The Iraqi leader also made the alarming disclosure that his commanders had the freedom to launch attacks against Israel without consulting the high command if Israel attacked Iraq. He added that Iraq could launch chemical weapons at Israel from several different sites (Reuters, April 18, 1990). Several days later, Saddam said that war with Israel would not end until all Israeli-held territory was restored to Arab hands. On April 2, 1990, Saddam’s rhetoric became more threatening: “I swear to God we will let our fire eat half of Israel if it tries to wage anything against Iraq.” Saddam said his nation’s chemical weapons capability was matched only by that of the United States and the Soviet Union, and that he would annihilate anyone who threatened Iraq with an atomic bomb by the “double chemical” (Reuters, April 2, 1990). Since coming to power, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had been a leader of the rejectionist Arab states and one of the most belligerent foes of Israel. Arms Couldn't Save Gulf States Saddam’s Threats Saddam’s Threats The Nuclear Danger American Interests Threatened Israel Aids the Allied War Effort The Cost of War PLO Backs Saddam Israeli Plan to Assassinate Saddam U.S. While Israel did not take part in the war from a military standpoint, the home front was bombarded with SCUD missiles from Iraq after Hussein followed through on threats to target Israel if coalition forces invaded Iraq. The Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm or the First Gulf War, was a UN-authorized coalition campaign led by the United States in response to Saddam Hussein’s invasion and annexation of neighboring Kuwait. The Arab/Muslim World: Table of Contents| Nuclear Proliferation| Terrorism Reports
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