Assorted Gulf War Quotes
| "I can tell you this: If I'm ever in a position to call the shots, I'm not going to rush to send somebody else's kids into a war." George Bush Man of Integrity (1988) |
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"By God, we will make the fire eat up half of Isreal if it tries to do anything against Iraq." Saddam Hussein April 2, 1990 |
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"Obviously, I didn't think - and nobody else did - that the Iraqis were going to take all of Kuwait. Every Kuwaiti and Saudi, every analyst in the Western world was wrong too. That does not excuse me. But people who now claim that all was clear were not heard from at the time." Ambassador Glaspie |
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"Remember, George, this is no time to go wobbly." Margaret Thatcher August 3, 1990 |
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"A line has been drawn in the sand...Withdraw from Kuwait unconditionally and immediately, or face the terrible consequences." George Bush |
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"Operation "Desert Shield" will provide air cover for the Savings-and-Loan bank scandal and the budget deficit." Peter Hart, a Democrat pollster November, 1990 |
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"We are not intimidated by the size of the armies, or the type of hardware the US has brought." Saddam Hussein November 12, 1990 |
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"I do not believe the President requires any additional authorization from the Congress before committing US forces to achieve our objectives in the Gulf." Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney December 3, 1990 |
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"Allah is on our side. That is why we will beat the aggressor." Saddam Hussein December 12, 1990 |
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"Our firm view is that the president has no legal authority, none whatsoever, to commit American troops to war in the Persian Gulf or anywhere else without congressional authorization." Senator George J. Mitchell (D., Me) December 14, 1990 |
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"As I report to you, air attacks are under way against military targets in Iraq...I've told the American people before that this will not be another Vietnam. And I repeat this here tonight. Our troops will have the best possible support in the entire world, and they will not be asked to fight with one hand tied behind their back." President George Bush Address to the nation January 16, 1991 |
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"Our objectives are clear. Saddam Hussein's forces will leave Kuwait. The legitimate government of Kuwait will be restored to its rightful place and Kuwait once again will be free. Iraq will eventually comply with all relevant United Nations resolutions..." President George Bush Address to the nation January 16, 1991 |
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"Fight them with your faith in God, fight them in defense of every free honorable woman and every innocent child, and in defense of the values of manhood and the military honor...Fight them because with their defeat you will be at the last entrance of the conquest of all conquests. The war will end with...dignity, glory, and triumph for your people, army, and nation." Saddam Hussein Radio Broadcast January 19, 1991 |
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"Our strategy to go after the Army is very, very simple. First we are going to cut it off, and then we're going to kill it." General Colin L. Powell, USA Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, news conference January 23, 1991 |
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"If anyone tells you America's best days are behind her, they're looking the wrong way." George Bush January 28, 1991 |
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"Achieving our goals will require sacrifice and time, but we will prevail. Make no mistake about that." George Bush February 1, 1991 |
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"Bush said he had no dispute with Iraqi people. It certainly looks different from Baghdad." A resident of Baghdad February 1, 1991 |
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"Iraqis will never forget that on 8 August 1990 Kuwait became part of Iraq legally, constitutionally and actually. It continued to do so until last night, when withdrawal began." Saddam Hussein February 26 1991 |
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"The Iraqi forces are conducting the Mother of all Retreats." Dick Cheney February 27, 1991 |
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"More than 200 ships from 13 nations conducted over 10,000 flawless intercepts, which formed a steel wall around the waters leading to Iraq. And these operations continue today. Thanks to these superb efferts not one cargo hold, not one crate, not even one pallet of seaborne contraband even touched Saddam Hussein's shores. The result: Iraq lost 90% of its imports, 100% of its exports, and had its gross national product cut in half." General Norman Schwarzkopf Speech at U.S. Naval Academy May 23, 1991 |