“…on August 4 [1986], [Vice President George] Bush met in Cairo [Egypt] with President Hosni Mubarak and asked him to pass on to Saddam Hussein the same message he had given King Hussein of Jordan [that he be more aggressive in the war with Iran and use his air force]. Saddam had previously rejected U.S. advice to escalate the bombing, but now, because of the cost of the war, he desperately needed American money and weapons. In addition, CIA officials began directly providing the Iraqi military both with highly classified tactical intelligence and technical equipment to receive satellite intelligence so Iraq could assess the effects of its air strikes on Iran. During the 48 hours after Bush’s meeting with Mubarak, the Iraqi air force flew 359 missions.”
– Craig Unger, House of Bush, House of Saud, Page 75