When Syria’s former Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam left for Paris in 2005, he took reams of papers, reports, notes, and files with him.
A trusted insider to the al-Assads for decades, the documents give rare insight into the heart of government from Khaddam’s first-hand accounts. He died in March 2020.
Among the more intriguing geopolitical periods of his time in power was the year leading up to the United States’ invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
In the months before, the Americans had been working closely with several parties in the region, including Lebanon, where reformist Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was in power.
Among other things, the ‘Khaddam Cache’ details meetings between Bush and Hariri, in which the former suggested that Saddam would soon be gone.
Episodes 1, 2, and 3 showed how the Kurds, Iranians, and Iraqi opposition factions were involved in the run-up to the US invasion in March 2003.
For the first time, Al Majalla reveals the conversations that would have a lasting impact on the Middle East, the effects of which are still felt today.
Bush meets Hariri
On 17 April 2002, US President George W. Bush met the then Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, in which the former told the latter of his resolve to “get rid of Saddam”.
Alongside Bush was Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, US Ambassador to Lebanon Vincent Patel, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, and David Scott from the National Security Council.
Representing Lebanon were Finance Minister Fouad Siniora, Minister of Economy and Trade Bassel Fleihan, Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Farid Abboud, and the prime minister’s advisor Amal Mudallali.
Hariri later sent Damascus a copy of the meeting minutes, which were included in the Khaddam Files, which Al Majalla later obtained.
Bush asked Hariri if he wanted coffee. Hariri affirmed. This prompted Bush to joke about Lebanese coffee. Hariri responded in kind. “Mr. President, if you had Lebanese coffee, it would signify that things were going well between us!”
When the meeting turned to more important matters, Bush’s tone changed. “We will not tolerate al-Qaeda or its affiliates,” he said. “We will pursue them one by one. We will track them down.” Hariri said: “We stand by you until the very end in this matter."
Bush leapt in. “I meant what I said about the Axis of Evil. I’m not pleased with Iran’s support for Hezbollah. I don’t like Hezbollah. They are terrorists. We will make it clear to Iran that we will not tolerate or condone it.”
Bush told Hariri that he was determined to remove Saddam. “I don’t yet have a clear plan on how to do it, but we will find a way. I wish it didn’t require financial resources.”
Before discussing North Korea and the Middle East, he emphasised the shared responsibility of all governments in laying the groundwork for peace. He urged them to fulfil their obligations, with Arab states playing their part.
“I’m the first US president to advocate for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. I conveyed this to (Ariel) Sharon. However, Arafat’s performance is lacking, and neighbouring countries are performing well in this regard.”
