When the Tanks Rolled Into Town

Abstract

As Iraqi troops massed on the border of Kuwait, the general manager of the Kuwait Meridien hotel began to make contingency plans for the possibility of a siege. Keaton Woods's foresight paid off when the tanks rolled in, and the Meridien had to operate as a self-contained fortress for the initial days of the invasion. Woods and his staff altered operations and the physical plant to ensure the security of the hotel and safety of its guests and staff. When it became clear that the Western guests would likely become hostages in the hotel, Woods and his staff arranged for their safe and quick departure. Woods himself hid in the home of some Kuwaiti friends for four months until Saddam Hussein declared safe passage out of the country for Westerners.