|
|
Oil fuels U.S. policy in Gulf
September 18, 1996
Web posted at: 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT)From Correspondent Mike Hanna
EASTERN KUWAIT (CNN) -- An Iraqi tank sits abandoned in a Kuwaiti oil field. For Kuwaitis, it's a haunting reminder of the onslaught brought on by Saddam Hussein and his troops some five years ago.
At one point, as Iraqi troops moved across the region, they opened the valves to Kuwaiti oil fields and giant pools of black muck formed across the quiet landscape ...
Through desalination efforts, the oil lakes have mostly disappeared, and the valued commodity has been cleaned and sold to an eager international community. And many believe it's because of that precious commodity -- that the United States is boosting its presence in the region.
"This is a natural resource," said Abdul Jabbal A'Salam of the Kuwait Oil Company. "It's not only for Kuwait to benefit. The whole world is benefiting from it."
He added, "It's of great interest of the U.S. to go ahead and send their troops to save this from a madman."
Continued: US troops heading to Kuwait
© 1996 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.