Agence France Presse: Reagan Played Decisive Role in Saddam Hussein's Survival in Iran-Iraq War

"A May 9, 1984 memo unearthed by the National Security Archive, a Washington research organization, noted that US policy for the sale of dual-use equipment to Iraq's nuclear program also was reviewed.
The memo said its "preliminary results favor expanding such trade to include Iraqi nuclear entities."
By March 1985, the United States was issuing Baghdad export permits for high tech equipment crucial for its weapons of mass destruction programs, according to Pollack. . . .
The aid came despite clear evidence as early as mid-1983 that Iraq was using chemical weapons on Iranian forces.
Washington said nothing publicly, but noted "almost daily" Iraqi use of chemical weapons in internal reports.
"We have recently received additional information confirming Iraqi use of chemical weapons," a November 1, 1983 State Department memo said. "We also know that Iraq has acquired a CW production capability, primarily from western firms, including possibly a US foreign subsidiary."
It said "our best present chance of influencing cessation of CW use may be in the context of informing Iraq of these measures."
Washington did not publicly denounce Iraqi use of chemical weapons until March, 1984 after it was documented in a UN study.
The Reagan administration opened full diplomatic relations with Baghdad in November, 1984. Iraqi chemical attacks continued not only on Iranian forces but also on Kurdish civilians, notably at Hallabja in 1987.
For its support, Pollack wrote, Washington got a bulwhark against Iran, cheap oil and Iraqi support for peace negotiations with Israel."