The Americans, William Barloon and David Daliberti, were working in Kuwait and took a wrong turn in the desert as they looked for friends at a UN observation station. They were arrested inside Iraq and charged with entering the country illegally. A kangaroo court sentenced them to eight years confinement, and they were sent to Abu Ghraib prison.

Richardson met with Iraq’s UN ambassador 10 times to establish the ground rules for a trip to Baghdad to negotiate the release of Barloon and Daliberti.

On July 16, 1995, Richardson met with Saddam Hussein in one of his Baghdad palaces. Later that day, Barloon and Daliberti and released into the Americans’ custody at the Polish embassy. The following day, Richardson and others escort the hostages across the border into Jordan.