Records on Iraq:

The materials in FOIA 1999-0461-F are a selective, not necessarily all inclusive, body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. FOIA request 1999-0461-F contains information on Iraq not directly related to the Persian Gulf conflict. Most of the documents contain information on Iraqgate, a scandal concerning U.S. financial and trade relations with Iraq prior to the war. 1999-0461-F 2 The Staff and Office Files contain correspondence, memoranda, and publications maintained by individual staff members and offices. From 1990 - 1992, congressional committees headed by Sam Gejdenson, Henry Gonzalez, and Jack Brooks conducted investigations into alleged misconduct by administration officials when implementing U.S. policies toward Iraq immediately prior to the outbreak of hostilities. Specifically, the committees examined three areas of U.S.-Iraqi policy. First, they examined the relationship of the Bush administration to the Banco Nazionale di Lavoro (BNL) and the bank's role in providing credits to Iraq for the purchase of food and military hardware. Second, the congressional committees investigated the role of the Department of Agriculture in providing food credits to Iraq during 1989 and 1990. Finally, Congress examined U.S. nonproliferation policy for Iraq, especially the use of export controls and potential violations of those controls by U.S. government officials. Most of the correspondence, memoranda, reports, cables, telegrams, and intelligence briefings subpoenaed by Congress for the Iraqgate investigation are included in this FOIA. This FOIA also contains declassified documents concerning chemical and biological weapons proliferation. In addition to this are Bush administration documents discussing potential responses to the congressional subpoenas, specifically the possibility of invoking executive privilege over certain documents and potential conflict of interest violations among senior Bush administration officials. Please note that some documents provided to the congressional committees originated during the Reagan administration. Also, please note several boxes of letters from American citizens concerning the Persian Gulf War. These letters do not concern the Congressional investigations but rather focus on U.S. policy toward Iraq after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait during August 1990. Read less