Here is a summary from Veterans for Common Sense:

WikiLeaks Reveals a Smoking Gun - U.S. Ambassador Gave "Green Light" to Iraq in July 1990, Starting Gulf War

The world finally knows more of the truth about how the Gulf War started. A secret July 25, 1990, State Department Cable released by Wikileaks shows how U.S. Ambassador April Glaspie told Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein the U.S. had "no position" on the Iraq - Kuwait border dispute, where Kuwait was allegedly stealing oil from Iraq. At the time, the U.S. supported Iraq's recently ended war with Iran (1980 - 1988) that had ruined Iraq's economy. On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. On January 17, 1991, prompted by a massive propaganda campaign, the U.S. began bombing Iraq - and never stopped. More than 20 years later, the war continues with deadly and devastating consequences for Kuwait, Iraq, and the U.S.



Based on the State Department cable, the facts are clear: in 1990, then-President George H. W. Bush's administration, failed to denounce Iraq's intended military action against in Kuwait in July 1990. The silence encouraged Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to invade Kuwait in August 1990. The Gulf War was left unfinished for thirteen years, with an embargo, sanctions, and "no-fly" zones.



By 2001, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell said Iraq was contained. In 2003, then-President George W. Bush lied about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction and launched a second invasion. Now, 20 years later, the U.S. has seen our economy nearly crushed with trillions in war debt. Nearly one million new, non-fatal casualties have sought medical care as VA patient, according to VA documents obtained by VCS using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).



The Glaspie Cable must go down in history as the smoking gun of failed diplomacy leading to 20 years of massive death and destruction. VCS encourages veterans to share the Glaspie Cable with fellow veterans, reporters, and legislators. We must learn the lesson from this tragic war that greater transparency is needed in how our nation operates overseas in order to reduce the chance for war.