George H.W. Bush had this to say in a 1998 Time article, when asked why US/UN forces didn't go after Saddam Hussein after Iraqi forces were pushed out of Kuwait in the Gulf War.
"We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq. The coalition would instantly have collapsed, the Arabs deserting it in anger and other allies pulling out as well. Under those circumstances, furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-cold war world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the U.N.'s mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the U.S. could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land. It would have been a dramatically different--and perhaps barren--outcome."
Seems like besides running the CIA and being a one term president, Bush Sr. was a a fortune teller, for his own kid.
2007-05-30 08:59:26 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
No wonder Jr. makes Sr. cry.
2007-05-30 09:04:59 · answer #1 · answered by Paul K 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
George H.W. Bush (the dad) understood the ramifications of such radical action in the Persian Gulf. The goal was to evict the Iraqis out of Kuwait--period. Mission accomplished, and it was done with Arab support. If Saddam Hussein had truly been a threat again, he knew he could have expected to be defeated again. Containment was working. Now, we have a political hot potato going on in Baghdad. Currently, we are supposed to be fighting for seome semblance of stability. If stability had truly been the goal, we would have kept the man in Baghdad in power who had given Iraq stability for over 30 years.
It is a pity people like Bush Sr.'s National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft have not had a role here. Surely, they would have counseled greater caution and at least a modicum of thought as to what to do in the next phase of the conflict. This was not accomplished, even with several holdovers from Bush Sr's day, such as Dick Cheney. Unfortunately, the current president has not wanted to listen to Scowcroft, or friends such as James Baker (his point man during the debacle in Florida with Al Gore). Baker had a perfectly reasonable plan crafted by independent Republicans and Democrats for a way out of the morass in Iraq. Bush has stubbornly stayed the course. While we're not losing, we are not winning in the way Americans understand the term. The result is a long term stalemate that will last at least until 2009 when Bush is out of office--longer if John McCain is elected , or if Sen. Clinton is elected and feels the need to maintain troops to prove she is tough like Margaret Thatcher in England.
2007-05-30 16:39:42 · answer #2 · answered by opie68 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many people wanted the UN, at that time, to go after Hussein. But it was a UN action that removed Iraqis from Kuwait. Mr. Bush did not have authority/approval from the UN to go further. The Arabs in the coalition put the US on notice that they would withdraw their support if the US went their own way. Most of our military was in Saudi Arabia, as their guests, at the time. The US was not in any position to keep going.
2007-05-30 16:05:30 · answer #3 · answered by regerugged 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Senior had the interests of America and Iraq in mind when he said that. Unlike his daddy, Junior had his own interests in mind, how he could write the pages of his presidency and how he would be remembered in history. He envisioned himself a great leader in times of adversity courageously leading us forward. The problem is that greatness chooses the man not the other way around, he, and his administration has become a metaphor.
2007-05-30 16:10:53 · answer #4 · answered by Alan S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Him and the Senate intelligence committee that debated Gulf 1. How about another Korea in Iraq wonder what division will get the oil.
2007-05-30 16:10:04 · answer #5 · answered by Mister2-15-2 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would have to say that Senior is at least a couple IQ points more intelligent than his son
IMPEACH pres DOUCHBAGE
2007-06-02 01:33:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
George H.W. was a well rounded pres. who made many smart decisions and that is where him and his son differ.
2007-05-30 16:07:13 · answer #7 · answered by adamtxstud 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'd agree with him any day over your lies and don't even think I can't see through your lies and don't try to deny them.
2007-05-31 15:59:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋