Iraq Country Handbook - Europe Link

The United States deployed a carrier battle group, more than 28,000
troops, and 200 additional aircraft into the region. The Iraqi regime
backed down. As a result of Iraq’s confrontational stance, the UN
imposed a “no-drive zone” on Iraq. The imposition prohibits the reinforcement
of Iraqi troops and armor south of the 32d parallel. In
November and December 1994, Iraq gave the appearance of conciliation
by formally recognizing the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political
independence of Kuwait, and the international border demarcated by
the UN in 1993.
Saddam Hussein’s regime has weathered many difficulties since the end
of 1994. UN sanctions and UN Special Commission (UNSCOM)
inspection/monitoring efforts remained in effect, but Iraq experienced
domestic turmoil as well. In March 1995, the Iraqi National Congress,
an umbrella Iraqi opposition group, began a combined offensive aimed
at seizing the northern Iraqi cities of Kirkuk and Mosul and instigating a
rebellion among Iraqi troops. However, Western support for the offensive
was not forthcoming, and the action quickly fell apart. This left the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) — the only opposition group to
actually begin military operations against the Iraqis as part of the offensive
— engaged in unilateral combat operations with Iraqi forces in the
vicinity of Mosul. Also in 1995, several military officers of the al-
Dulaymi tribe from western Iraq staged a coup attempt in May. Hussein
tortured and executed the participants, then returned their mutilated
bodies to their kinsmen. In response, a Republican Guard battalion led
by outraged al-Dulaymi military officers attacked the Iraqi prison at
Abu Gharayb. Two loyal Republican Guard brigades defeated the
rebels, but Hussein was disturbed by the fact that some of his normally
loyal Republican Guards had turned against him. A purge of the Republican
Guards followed in July.
In August 1995, Hussein Kamil Hassan al-Majid, Hussein’s brother
Saddam Kamil, and their families fled Baghdad to Jordan. The significance
of this defection was acute; the wives of the men were Saddam
Hussein’s daughters, and both men held significant posts in Saddam
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