US embassy cable - 90STATE255723TOSEC140328

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TFKU01: SITREP NO. 6: IRAQ/KUWAIT TASK FORCE: SITUATION AS OF 0530 EDT, 08/03/90

Identifier: 90STATE255723TOSEC140328
Wikileaks: View 90STATE255723TOSEC140328 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Secretary of State
Created: 1990-08-03 11:25:00
Classification: SECRET
Tags: PREL MOPS IZ KU US
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
O 031125Z AUG 90
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USDEL SECRETARY AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATE
 SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE ALDAC 8372
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE
USCENTCOM/ MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
USDEL SECRETARY IMMEDIATE
INFO COMSIXFLT IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DOHA IMMEDIATE
 JCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4007
USCINCEUR VAHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
USCINCPAC CC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T  STATE 255723 TOSEC 140328 
 
MOSCOW FOR DENNIS ROSS/ ALSO PLS PASS SECRETARY PARTY 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:OADR 
TAGS:  PREL, MOPS, IZ, KU, US 
SUBJECT:  TFKU01:  SITREP NO. 6: IRAQ/KUWAIT TASK FORCE: 
SITUATION AS OF 0530 EDT, 08/03/90 
 
1. (CONFIDENTIAL)  EMBASSIES KUWAIT AND ABU DHABI HAVE 
REPORTS THAT IRAQI FORCES ON THE STREETS ARE SELECTING 
AMERICAN, BRITISH, AND OTHER EUROPEANS AND TAKING THEM 
OUT OF TOWN ON BUSES, POSSIBLY TO BAGHDAD.  EMBASSY 
BAGHDAD IS TAKING UP THE MATTER AT THE IRAQI FOREIGN 
MINISTRY.  DESPITE CNN REPORTS THAT IRAQIS HOLD ONLY 
THREE 3 AMCITS, VARIOUS SOURCES HAVE REPORTED A TOTAL OF 
6 TO 14 AMERICANS IN IRAQI HANDS.  (RIYADH 6078, TASK 
FORCE) 
 
2. (SECRET)  DESPITE THE OVERWHELMING ODDS, THE KUWAITIS 
ARE STILL PUTTING UP RESISTANCE.  A STORY CIRCULATING IN 
KUWAIT DESCRIBES HOW A GUARD AT THE KUWAITI AIRBASE. 
WHEN THE IRAQIS ARRIVED, MANAGED TO STALL THEM SO THE 
KUWAITI PILOTS COULD GET INTO THE AIR AND STRAFE THE 
IRAQIS BEFORE THE PILOTS FLED TO SAUDI ARABIA OR 
ELSEWHERE.  (EMBASSY KUWAIT TELCON) 
 
3. (CONFIDENTIAL)  THERE ARE REPORTS OF FIGHTING IN SOME 
RESIDENTIAL AREAS.  SEVERAL SHORT ROUNDS HAVE IMPACTED 
NEAR THE EMBASSY COMPOUND.  A STEADY FLOW OF IRAQI 
RESUPPLY TRUCKS WAS VISIBLE FROM THE COMPOUND.  (KUWAIT 
TDFIRDB-315/20191-90, KUWAIT 4431, TELECON WITH EMBASSY 
KUWAIT) 
 
4. (CONFIDENTIAL)  AMBASSADOR HOWELL WANTS TO BEGIN 
PLANNING FOR AN ORDERED DRAWDOWN OF OFFICIAL PERSONNEL 
AND EVACUATION OF UNOFFICIAL AMCITS DESIRING TO LEAVE. 
UNTIL SOME AUTHORITY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY IRAQIS OR 
KUWAITIS, THE SITUATION IS TOO FLUID TO ATTEMPT A 
DRAWDOWN.  (KUWAIT 4430) 
 
5. (UNCLASSIFIED)  KUWAIT RADIO, AS RECENTLY AS MIDNIGHT 
EDT, WAS SENDING DESPERATE APPEALS TO ITS EMBASSIES 
WORLDWIDE, ASKING THEM TO SEEK INTERNATIONAL HELP. 
(FBIS LONDON) 
 
6. (CONFIDENTIAL)  BAGHDAD IS QUIET.  FOREIGN MINISTRY 
UNDERSECRETARY HAMDOUN TOLD US HE HAS NO INFORMATION ON 
AMCITS REPORTEDLY DETAINED BY IRAQI TROOPS.  IRAQI 
NEWSPAPERS ARE REPORTING THAT IRAQ HAS SUSPENDED ALL 
REPAYMENT OF US LOANS.  (TELCON WITH BAGHDAD) 
 
 
EAGLEBURGER 

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