y ▁oblig ations ▁to ▁defend ▁K uw ait . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Richard ▁E . ▁Rub en stein , ▁Glas pie ▁was ▁later ▁asked ▁by ▁British ▁journal ists ▁why ▁she ▁had ▁said ▁that , ▁her ▁response ▁was ▁" we ▁didn ' t ▁think ▁he ▁would ▁go ▁that ▁far " ▁meaning ▁in va de ▁and ▁an nex ▁the ▁whole ▁country . ▁Although ▁no ▁follow - up ▁question ▁was ▁asked , ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁infer red ▁that ▁what ▁the ▁U . S . ▁government ▁thought ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁was ▁that ▁S add am ▁Hus sein ▁was ▁only ▁interested ▁in ▁press uring ▁K uw ait ▁into ▁deb t ▁forg iveness ▁and ▁to ▁lower ▁oil ▁production . ▁ ▁In vas ion ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁at ▁ 2 : 0 0 ▁am , ▁local ▁time , ▁Ira q ▁launched ▁an ▁invasion ▁of ▁K uw ait ▁with ▁four ▁el ite ▁Ira qi ▁Republican ▁Guard ▁divisions ▁( 1 st ▁Hamm ur abi ▁Arm oured ▁Division , ▁ 2 nd ▁al - Med in ah ▁al - M una wer a ▁Arm oured ▁Division , ▁ 3 rd ▁T aw ak al na ▁al a - Al lah ▁Mechan ized ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁and ▁ 4 th ▁Neb uch ad ne zz ar ▁Motor ized ▁Infantry ▁Division ) ▁and ▁Ira qi ▁Army ▁special ▁forces ▁units ▁equivalent ▁to ▁a ▁full ▁division . ▁The ▁main ▁thrust ▁was ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁command os ▁deployed ▁by ▁hel ic op ters ▁and ▁boats ▁to ▁attack ▁K