Editing Hussein of Jordan (section)

===Gulf War===
{{Main|Gulf War}}

A UN-brokered ceasefire became active in July 1988, ending the Iran-Iraq war.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468}} Hussein had advised Saddam after 1988 to polish his image in the West by visiting other countries, and by appearing at the United Nations for a speech, but to no avail.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} The Iraqi-Jordanian relationship developed into the [[Arab Cooperation Council]] (ACC), which also included Egypt and Yemen, on 16 February 1989, serving as a counter to the [[Gulf Cooperation Council]].{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} Saddam's [[invasion of Kuwait]] on 2 August 1990 led six months later to international intervention to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait in what became known as the [[Gulf War]].{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} Iraq's invasion of Kuwait caught Hussein by surprise; he was the ACC chairman at that time, and a personal friend of Saddam's.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} After informing the American president [[George H. W. Bush]] of his intention to travel to Baghdad to contain the situation,{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} Hussein travelled to Baghdad on 3 August for a meeting with Saddam; at the meeting, the latter announced his intention to withdraw Iraqi troops from Kuwait only if Arab governments refrained from issuing statements of condemnation, and no foreign troops were involved.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} On Hussein's way back from Baghdad, Egypt issued a condemnation of the Iraqi invasion.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} To Hussein's dismay, Egyptian president [[Husni Mubarak]] refused to reverse his position and called for Iraq's unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} An Arab League summit held in Cairo issued a condemnation of Iraq with a fourteen-vote majority, despite calls by Jordan's foreign minister Marwan Al-Kasim that this move would hinder Hussein's efforts to reach a peaceful resolution.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}} Both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia viewed Hussein with suspicion{{snd}}they distrusted him and believed he was planning to obtain a share of Kuwait's wealth.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=468–506}}

[[File:President Bush meets with King Hussein of Jordan in the Oval Office - NARA - 186446.tif|thumb|left|Hussein meeting with American president [[George H. W. Bush]] on 12 March 1992]]On 6 August American troops arrived at the Kuwait-Saudi Arabian border, Saddam's conditions were ignored, and Hussein's role as mediator was undermined.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Saddam then announced that his invasion had become "irreversible", and on 8 August he annexed Kuwait.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Jordan, along with the international community, refused to recognize the Iraqi-installed regime in Kuwait.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} The United States, seeing Jordan's neutrality as siding with Saddam, cut its aid to Jordan{{snd}}aid on which Jordan depended; Gulf countries soon followed.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Hussein's position in the international community was severely affected, so severe that he privately discussed his intention to abdicate.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Jordan's public opinion was overwhelmingly against international intervention, and against Gulf rulers who were perceived to be greedy and corrupt.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Hussein's popularity among Jordanians reached its zenith, and anti-Western demonstrations filled the streets.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} But Western pundits viewed Hussein's actions as impulsive and emotional, claiming that he could have dampened Jordanian public support for Iraq through better leadership.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Hussein's brother, Crown Prince [[Prince Hassan bin Talal|Hassan]], also disagreed with Hussein, but the King refused to recognize Saddam's wrongdoings.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} In late August and early September Hussein visited twelve Western and Arab capitals in an effort to promote a peaceful resolution.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} He finished his tour by flying directly to Baghdad to meet Saddam, where he warned: "Make a brave decision and withdraw your forces; if you don't, you will be forced out."{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Saddam was adamant but agreed to Hussein's request to release Western nationals who were being held as hostages.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Threats of a war between Israel and Iraq were rising, and in December 1990 Hussein relayed a message to Saddam saying that Jordan would not tolerate any violations of its territory.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Jordan dispatched an armored division to its borders with Iraq, and Hussein's eldest son [[Abdullah II of Jordan|Abdullah]] was in charge of a [[Bell AH-1 Cobra|Cobra]] helicopter squadron.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Jordan also concentrated its forces near its border with Israel.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} Adding to Jordan's deteriorating situation was the arrival of 400,000 Palestinian refugees from Kuwait, who had all been working there.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}} By 28 February 1991 the international coalition had successfully cleared Iraqi forces from Kuwait.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=478–506}}