AMBASSADOR DAVID L. MACK

299 Pages·2013·1.86 MB·English

The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training
Foreign Affairs Oral History Project

AMBASSADOR DAVID L. MACK

Interviewed by: Charles Stuart Kennedy
Initial interview date: October 24, 1995
Copyright 2010 ADST

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background
Born and raised in Oregon
Harvard University

Cairo, Egypt: Fulbright Fellowship 1964-1965
Arabic language study
Ambassador and Mrs. Lucius Battle
President Nasser
Environment

Entered the Foreign Service 1965

State Department: FS-100 and Consular training 1965

Baghdad, Iraq: General Services/Rotation Officer 1965-1967
Relations
Dictator, Abdul Rahman Arif
Ambassador Robert Strong
Petroleum
Environment
Basra
Soviet Embassy

Amman, Jordan: Consular Officer 1967
Israeli border clashes
Environment
April Glaspie
Marriage
Palestinians
Evacuation (Arab/Israel War)
Ambassador Findley Burns
Relations with King Hussein

1
Jerusalem: Consular Officer 1967-1968
Palestinians
Status of Jerusalem
Mix of visa applicants
Arab post-War bitterness
UN Security Council Resolutions
Israeli West Bank rule
Relations with Jews and Arabs
Ambassador Walworth Barbour
Consulate/Embassy relations
Environment
Mayor Teddy Kollek

Beirut, Lebanon: FSI: Arabic Language study 1968-1969
Course of study
US relations with Arab states
Colleagues

Tripoli, Libya: Political Officer/Interpreter 1969-1970
Wheelus Air Force Base
King Idris
Italian legacy
Ambassador Joseph Palmer II
Petroleum
Environment
Relations
British military bases
Libyan Revolution
Meeting with Revolutionary Command Council
Al-Baidah
Mansour Kikhya
Qadhafi
Revolution members
US interests
Arab nationalism
Unity with Egypt and Sudan
Air Base negotiations
Restrictions
Italian residents
Oil company negotiations
Benghazi office

Benghazi, Libya: Officer in Charge 1970-1972
C-130s
Libya’s foreign relations shift
Oil pricing
2
US Oil companies
Libya/Italy relations
Economy
Egyptians
Soviet weapons inventory
Libya/Egypt relations
Environment
Local views of Qadhafi
Arab Diplomats’ views of Qadhafi

State Department; African Affairs; Office of Regional Policy 1972-1973
Sub-Sahara Africa
Operations
Israeli relationship with Africa

State Department: Tunisia Desk Offer 1973-1975
USAID program
Military assistance program
Bourguiba
USS Geary
Yom Kippur (Ramadan) War
US-Tunisian Economic Commission
US/Libya relations
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
Djerba Declaration
Libya/Tunisia relations
Gafsa insurrection

State Department: Operations Center, Watch Officer 1975-1976
Operations
Kissinger and the Foreign Service
Major issues
Kissinger’s relations with foreign Ambassadors
US-Soviet relations
Ambassador Meloy assassination aftermath
Mission to Lebanon
Robert Houghton
Crossing from Cyprus
Michel Khoury
Discussions with Lebanese political leaders
Syria/Israel understanding
Lebanese militias
Officials
Family
Kissinger’s policy goals
Ed Djerejian
3
Baghdad, Iraq: Counselor, US Interests Section; Belgium Embassy 1977-1979
Relations
Surveillance
Environment
US-Iraq issues
Arab boycott of Israel
Petroleum
Economy
President Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr
Saddam Hussein
Revolutionary Command Council
Baath Party
Local contacts
Local employees
Khalid Talia
Communications
Soviet-Iraq relationship
US-Iraq commercial relations
Arab Summit
Shia
Iraq-Iran relations
Farewell lunch
Iraq-Kuwait relations
Impediment to diplomatic relations with US
Egyptians
Iraqi world view
Security

Tunis, Tunisia; Deputy Chief of Mission 1979-1982
Ambassador Stephen Bosworth
Relations
Tunis Arab League Headquarters
Organization of Islamic Conference
Economy
US military assistance program
Bourguiba
Government
Contacts with Arab League
Embassy Teheran takeover
Tunisia/Libya relations
French influence
Foreign Service Institute Arabic School
Islamic Political group
Ambassador Walter Cutler
Human rights
4
Tourism

State Department: Director, Office of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan 1982-1985
and Iraq Affairs
Israel invades Lebanon
Relations with governments
Elizabeth Jones
Secretary of State Alexander Haig
Office working atmosphere
Secretary of State George Schultz
US Israeli policies
Israeli/Lebanese Maronite relations
Danger signs
Philip Habib
Bud McFarlane
Casper Weinberger
Operations
Congressional interest
Deployment of US forces in Lebanon
Palestinian forces in Lebanon
US post-war Lebanon policies
Sabra-Shatila massacre
Lebanese factions
Syrian military presence
Habib-Draper mission
Ambassador Robert Dillon
Contrary Embassy-Habib views
Israel-Lebanon negotiations
US presence at negotiations
US Beirut Embassy bombed
Lebanese Shia radicalization
Syria’s Lebanon activities
Temporary Duty to Beirut (Acting DCM)
Shia groups
May 17 Agreement
South Lebanon Army
Use of US armed forces in Lebanon
President Amin Gemayel
Maronite militia
McFarlane’s force recommendations
Richard Murphy
Marine barracks bombed
Congressional debate on US forces in Lebanon
American Israeli Political Action Committee (AIPAC)
Briefing Congressional staff
USS New Jersey role
5
Donald Rumsfeld missions
Return to Beirut
Ambassador Reggie Bartholomew
US Marines withdrawn
Lebanon –Syria arrangement
New embassy bombed
Israelis in South Lebanon
Richard Murphy missions to area
Assad rejects proposals
William Buckley murder
David Dodge kidnapping and release
Kidnappings of Americans
Saudi help
Jesse Jackson’s Damascus visit
Jordan
Help for Arafat
Re-starting Arab-Israel Peace Process
Re-starting US-Iraq relations
Iran-Iraq War
View of Yasser Arafat
Operation Staunch
Soviet Union

Senior Seminar 1985-1986
Course content

Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 1986-1989
Composition of Emirate
Family
Gulf Tanker War
US-Iran relations
Gulf of Hormuz
US Naval presence
Relations
US oil and business presence
Iranian navy
Area oil production
Area assistance to Iraq
Council of Rulers
Conducting business with Emirates
Soviet Ambassador Felix Fedotov
US-UAE military relationship
Government organization
Local Iranians
Security precautions
Iranian threats to oil production and shipments
6
Irangate
Handling the press
Relations sour
Stinger Missile request
Das Island
President Zayed
Survey of Gulf security needs
Views on US dependability
US strategic interests
BCCI controversy
US naval visits
Ship re-flagging proposal
Soviet offer to Kuwait
Saudi based AWACS
Oman
Attack on USS Stark
USS Roberts hits mine
Oil production
Iran-Iraq War
Resolution 598
UAE-Iraq relations
Iranian Airbus shot down
Protection for American community
Ayatollah Khomeini
Gulf Islands’ ownership dispute
Gulf Consultative Council (GCC)
Gulf contingency planning (Military)
Gulf military storage (PREPO)
US trade
Arab boycott
Textiles
Commercial diplomacy
USIS activities
Drug enforcement
Palestinian intifada
Obstacles to close US-Gulf relations
Foreign community views of US

Diplomat in Residence, Howard University 1989-1990
Environment
Faculty attitudes
Student attitudes
African studies
Ralph Bunche

State Department: Deputy Assistant Secretary, NEA 1990-1993
7
Assistant Secretary John Kelly
Area of responsibility
Bi-lateral country relations
US-Iran legal issues
Sources of Iraq arms
US-Iraq relations
Arab nations support for Iraq
Inter-Agency meeting on Iraq
Iraq-Kuwait relations
Kuwait-US relations
Yemen
Military arrangement with Gulf States
Lebanon
Middle East security issues
Ambassador Prince Bandar
Hostages
Secretary of State James Baker
Working atmosphere
Embassy reporting
Iran
Iraq’s use of chemical warfare
Kurds

NOTES ON GULF WAR FOR BBC INTERVIEW, NOVEMBER, 1994

Situation in late May, 1990
US-Iraq relations tense and growing worse
Arab ambassador ask US to “ease up” on Iraq
Arab Summit in Baghdad highly critical of US
US to use force to protect interests
Iraq threatens Kuwait and UAE
Iraq Ambassador assures no threat to Kuwait
Ambassador Glaspie receives similar assurances
US offers use of tanker aircraft for refueling in Gulf
Iraqi troop movements prompt further Glaspie meeting
Saddam Hussein again assures Glaspie
Uncertainty in US re Saddam’s intentions
Iraq invades Kuwait, August, 1991
Iraqi Ambassador Mashat
Protection of Americans in Kuwait
US demands total Iraqi withdrawal
Baker meets Tariq Aziz in Geneva
Iraqi Embassy closed
Congress authorizes Desert Storm
State excluded from Safwan cease-fire talks
Iran sends agents to southern Iraq
8
US forces withdraw from Iraq
Kurds flee
Operation Provide Comfort
FSI Evacuation Training
Kuwait- US relations
Saudi-US relations

State Department: Deputy Assistant Secretary, NEA (Continued)
Iraqi threats to Kuwait and UAE (continued)
Iraqis assure Glaspie no hostile intentions to Kuwait
US press guidance states US to protect interests in Gulf
Meeting with Ambassador Mashat
Did Saddam “get the message” given by Glaspie?
Joint US-UAE joint air tanker exercise
Kuwait declines close cooperation
President Bush message to Saddam
Iraq invades Kuwait
‘ Question of US commitment to Kuwait
B-52 bomber exercise proposal
Iran factor
Iraq-Kuwait Task Force
Kuwait seeks US military response
Coordination with Allies
Iraq assets frozen
Saudis permit US forces
Protection of all Arabian Peninsula oil fields
Congressional participation
Global oil supplies
Military strategy considerations
Iraq threat to Saudi Arabia
Embassy Kuwait survival
Russian cooperation
King Hussein supports Saddam
Arab World and Muslim positions
Kelly/Mashat confrontation
Ambassador Chas Freeman
Evacuation of US personnel in Saudi Arabia issue
Desert Storm Jan. 16 bombardment
War’s swift end
Post war relations with Jordan
UN Resolution 687
Views on Saddam’s survivability
Iraqi army
Shia and Kurd insurrections
Iraqi opposition groups
Turkey views
9
US views of Iraq’s future
Refugees
Kurdistan Workers’ Party
Operation Provide Comfort activities
No-fly zones
UN Resolution 688
Iraq National Congress (INC)
Ahmad Chalabi
Southern Watch
Madrid Conference
Relations with Iran via Swiss
President Hashemi Rafsanjani
US hostages in Lebanon released
US rejects Iran proposal for secret talks
GCC views on close US cooperation
Iran Interests Section in Washington
Gulf States’ financial contributions to Gulf War
Contacts with Iraqi opposition groups
Poland chosen to represent US in Iraq
US aids in capping oil well fires
Kuwait’s relations with Arab nations
US-Kuwait post war relations
Jordan/Saudi relations
Yemen/US relations
Views on relations with “Islam”
Secretary of State James Baker
Post-war US/Iraq policy
Secretary of State Warren Christopher
Christopher’s Near East tour
US exports to Iran
Near East countries on terrorist list
Policy of Iran containment

Comments on relations with Gulf Cooperation Council States (GCC) and Yemen states
Arab-Israeli Peace process
Economic relations
Arab boycott
Washington Conference with GCC States
Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown’s Gulf visit
Bahrain visit
Commercial competition in Gulf
Official visit to Yemen
Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh
European antipathy toward Islam

Comments on April Glaspie and Gulf War
10