Pres Bush Address to Congress <b>Sept 11,1990</b>

George Bush Presidential Library ^

[anapikoros]

Is there some significance between the date of this speech and 9/11/01 - was 9/11 Saddam's reply?

Some extracts

"We stand today at a unique and extraordinary moment. The crisis in the Persian Gulf, as grave as it is, also offers a rare opportunity to move toward an historic period of cooperation. Out of these troubled times, our fifth objective -- a new world order -- can emerge: a new era -- freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice, and more secure in the quest for peace. An era in which the nations of the world, East and West, North and South, can prosper and live in harmony. A hundred generations have searched for this elusive path to peace, while a thousand wars raged across the span of human endeavor. Today that new world is struggling to be born, a world quite different from the one we've known. A world where the rule of law supplants the rule of the jungle. A world in which nations recognize the shared responsibility for freedom and justice. A world where the strong respect the rights of the weak.....

The test we face is great, and so are the stakes. This is the first assault on the new world that we seek, the first test of our mettle. Had we not responded to this first provocation with clarity of purpose, if we do not continue to demonstrate our determination, it would be a signal to actual and potential despots around the world. America and the world must defend common vital interests -- and we will. America and the world must support the rule of law -- and we will. America and the world must stand up to aggression -- and we will. And one thing more: In the pursuit of these goals America will not be intimidated.

Vital issues of principle are at stake. Saddam Hussein is literally trying to wipe a country off the face of the Earth. We do not exaggerate. Nor do we exaggerate when we say Saddam Hussein will fail. Vital economic interests are at risk as well. Iraq itself controls some 10 percent of the world's proven oil reserves. Iraq plus Kuwait controls twice that. An Iraq permitted to swallow Kuwait would have the economic and military power, as well as the arrogance, to intimidate and coerce its neighbors -- neighbors who control the lion's share of the world's remaining oil reserves. We cannot permit a resource so vital to be dominated by one so ruthless. And we won't.

Recent events have surely proven that there is no substitute for American leadership. In the face of tyranny, let no one doubt American credibility and reliability. Let no one doubt our staying power. We will stand by our friends. One way or another, the leader of Iraq must learn this fundamental truth.

[michigander]

So why is it that we are still talking about Saddam today?

[anapikoros]

Posting to my makeshift bumplist - if you want on/off pls let me know.

[piasa]

Because congress was only willing to go as far as Kuwait, and none to pleased about that. So the authorization to go further wasn't there... and probably, the State Department was balking and preaching against it. State tends to prefer containment, rather than offense. They prefer the status quo to the unknown. And they always percieve the unknown to be uniformly negative, allowing no allowance for possible positives. They prefer status quo because to them it seems balanced, and balance is their mindset. So they wanted to keep Iran and Iraq on opposite ends of the 'teetertotter.'

We were also afraid of his chemical weapons and decided the risk at that time was not worth it. So here we go again...