This Will Not Stand

Reflections on the U.S Embassy Siege

by Ambassador W. N. Howell and his Wife 30 Years after the 1990 Invasion of Kuwait

To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Ambassador Nathaniel Howell Ph. D. and his wife Margie recall their experiences as a career foreign service family and how these prepared them for the surprise invasion by Iraqi forces into Kuwait during the early morning hours of August 2, 1990. Similar to other foreign service families who have served courageously in harm’s way, the Howell’s experiences are compelling. In addition, they speak about how their lives at the University of Virginia before and after their time in the foreign service provide them with shared insights and perspectives. Gregory Saathoff MD, a Professor in the UVA School of Medicine who chairs the History and Intellectual Programming Committee for UVA’s Colonnade Club, facilitates the interview.