“On July 25 [1990], President Saddam Hussein of Iraq summoned the United States Ambassador to Baghdad, April Glaspie, to his office in the last high-level contact between the two Governments before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on Aug. 2.” Hussein said: ” ‘The United States wants to secure the flow of oil. This is understandable and known. But it must not deploy methods which the United States says it disapproves of–flexing muscles and pressure. If you use pressure, we will deploy pressure and force. We know that you can harm us although we do not threaten you. But we too can harm you. Everyone can cause harm according to their ability and their size. We cannot come all the way to you in the United States, but individual Arabs may reach you.’ ”
– Special to The New York Times, “Excerpts From Iraqi Document on Meeting with U.S. Envoy,” The New York Times, Sep. 23, 1990