along the iran/iraq border were destroyed. >> reporter: the united states condemned the atrocities but continued to help saddam even as the massacres continued. the kurds had been betrayed. but they gave america another chance. in 1991, president george herbert walker bush invaded iraq. >> saddam hussein started this cruel war. tonight the battle has been joined. >> reporter: but president bush did not want to send american troops all the way to baghdad, fearing they would get stuck there. instead, he called on saddam's people to bring down the dictator. >> after the gulf war in 1991, president george h.w. bush called on the kurds to rise up against the dictator, saddam hussein. they rose up. when saddam counterattacked with helicopter gunships, we left them to be slaughtered.