(Saddam) took the first strike, that is against the radar sites in the south, as a sign that we really didn't have much stomach for this, and that he could get away and take advantage of it and maybe split the coalition further. So, he starts to fire off some missiles, |
[T]he central point is that any campaign against Iraq ... is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism. Worse, there is a virtual consensus in the world against an attack on Iraq at this time. |
A number of presidents since Nixon have come to office with negative views of the Chinese. They always end up supporting the thrust of the policy established by President Nixon. |
After all, we didn't bring democracy to Germany in 1945; Hitler destroyed democracy there first. |
After the Iran/Iraq war, Iraq had enormous reconstruction, issues and it was our hope that American business would be able to participate in that since Iraq is fundamentally a wealthy nation. |
America has never seen itself as a national state like all others, but rather as an experiment in human freedom and democracy. |
An attack on Iraq at this time would seriously jeopardize, if not destroy, the global counterterrorist campaign we have undertaken, |
An idea can be as flawless as can be, but its execution will always be full of mistakes. |
But figuring out Saddam Hussein was one our greatest mysteries. He marched to his own drummer and frequently as this unfolded he made decisions which were sometimes inexplicable to us and sometimes didn't look very smart. |
But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism. |
But there is scant evidence to tie Saddam to terrorist organizations, and even less to the Sept. 11 attacks. |
But we've had fifty years of peace. |
But, if you believe we should go around the world overturning regimes to make little United States, I don't agree with that, because I don't think we're capable of doing that. |
compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein had acquired nuclear-weapons capability. |
Europeans are familiar with terrorism and violence. We have not experienced a true conflict on our soil in a hundred years, and especially not one that involved 3,000 dead. |