The President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, continued to defy the West in 1997. The latest crisis began in late October when Iraq ordered the expulsion of American inspectors in the United Nations weapons inspections team, accusing them of spying.

President Clinton's response was uncompromising. He ordered an immediate American military build-up in the Gulf region and said that Saddam's defiance must be countered in no uncertain terms.

The warnings that strong action would be taken against Iraq if it did not back down and the passing of yet another unanimous UN Security Council resolution condemning Baghdad did not seem to impress the Iraqi leadership, which went ahead with the expulsions.

With neither side seemingly prepared to give way, the scene was set for a showdown, and perhaps for US military action against Iraq. However, there was a marked reluctance by the Clinton administration to use arms.

One reason for this was the opposition to military action of the Arab world, including Saudi Arabia and even Kuwait. In addition, despite the surface unanimity of Security Council resolutions condemning Iraq, the Western allies were fractured in their response to the crisis. The US and Britain were prepared to use force, but France and Russia, both of whom have potentially profitable business links with Iraq, favoured a more conciliatory approach.

The immediate crisis appeared to pass when Russia launched its own diplomatic initiative. In return for Baghdad's agreement to allow UN weapons inspectors, including the Americans, back into the country, Russia would work towards the lifting of international sanctions on Iraq.

However the dispute rumbles on and some observers declared the outcome of the crisis a draw.
 

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