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323151327
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Regional Press Briefing 12/18/90 [OA 6028]
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323151327
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document
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Regional Press Briefing 12/18/90 [OA 6028]
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13552-005
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Draft Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13552
Folder ID Number:
13552-005
Folder Title:
Regional Press Briefing 12/18/90 [OA 6028]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
26
16
6
2
REGIONAL PRESS BRIEFING \ ROOM 450
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1990 I 2:00 P.M.
I HAVE A BRIEF STATEMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE,
BEFORE TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS.
EVER SINCE AUGUST 2ND, THE WORLD COMMUNITY HAS BEEN
VIRTUALLY UNANIMOUS IN ITS CONDEMNATION AND IN ITS
REJECTION OF IRAQI AGGRESSION.
IN RECENT WEEKS, WE'VE REDOUBLED OUR EFFORTS To
SEEK A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THIS CRISIS. WE FEEL A
SENSE OF URGENCY, AND FOR GOOD REASON.
- 2 -
WITH EACH PASSING DAY, SADDAM HUSSEIN'S SOLDIERS
BRUTALIZE KUWAIT, HIS POLICIES THREATEN THE HEALTH OF
FLEDGLING DEMOCRACIES, AND HIS GENERALS AMASS
EVER-GROWING FORCES ARMED WITH WEAPONS OF GREAT
POTENTIAL DESTRUCTION.
MEANWHILE, THERE'S A CYNICAL AND DANGEROUS WAITING
GAME BEING PLAYED IN BAGHDAD, AS SADDAM ENGAGES IN AN
APPARENT ATTEMPT To CIRCUMVENT THE WILL OF THE WORLD.
- 3 -
BY TRYING TO DIVERT ATTENTION TO ISSUES UNRELATED
TO THE INVASION OF KUWAIT, BY CHARACTERIZING THE
HOSTAGE RELEASE AS A "HUMANITARIAN GESTURE," AND BY
DELAYING THE TALKS I PROPOSED, SADDAM IS ENGAGED IN THE
WORST KIND OF MANIPULATION. THESE CYNICAL MOVES
SUGGEST A LACK OF SERIOUSNESS ABOUT FINDING A PEACEFUL
SOLUTION TO THIS CRISIS.
- ,
- 4 -
THESE MEETINGS ARE POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT -- AN
ATTEMPT To AVERT A COSTLY CONFLICT. SHOULD THEY TAKE
PLACE, LET ME EMPHASIZE THERE CAN BE NO PARTIAL
SOLUTIONS, NO CONCESSIONS, NO NEGOTIATIONS -- IN SHORT,
NO REWARDS FOR UNPROVOKED AGGRESSION. BUT WE ARE
WILLING TO EXHAUST EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS OF
COMMUNICATING TO SADDAM HUSSEIN THE SERIOUSNESS OF HIS
SITUATION -- TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR WHAT THE WORLD
REQUIRES TO RESOLVE THIS CRISIS PEACEFULLY.
- 5 -
WE HAVE NO DESIRE FOR WAR. WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN
TO PRESERVE THE PEACE. BUT FOR PEACE TO BE PRESERVED,
IRAQ MUST COMPLY FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WITH THE 12
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS.
AND ONE THING SADDAM MUST UNDERSTAND.
[[ WE MUST STOP THIS ARMED AND DANGEROUS DICTATOR NOW,
OR WE WILL FACE AN EVEN MORE COSTLY CHALLENGE IN THE
FUTURE. APPEASEMENT NEVER PAYS -- AND IT NEVER BUYS
PEACE OR SECURITY.
- 6 -
IF SADDAM WON'T COME To HIS SENSES WE HAVE THE
MEANS AND THE WILL DO WHAT IS REQURIED DECISIVE. IF WE
GO IN -- WE GO IN DECISIVELY. ONE VIETNAM IS ONE
VIETNAM TOO MANY -- AND THERE WILL BE NO SECOND.
STANDING FIRM AGAINST SADDAM'S AGGRESSION ARE FORCES
FROM 28 COUNTRIES. YESTERDAY, I MET WITH THE
AMBASSADORS OF THOSE COUNTRIES, AND I WILL SOON BE
MEETING WITH AMBASSADORS OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS
CONTRIBUTING VITAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE To OUR COMMON
EFFORT IN THE GULF.
- 7 -
TOGETHER, THIS REMARKABLE COALITION IS READY, WILLING,
AND ABLE TO UPHOLD THE JANUARY 15TH DEADLINE FOR
WITHDRAWAL FROM KUWAIT CALLED FOR BY THE UNITED NATIONS
SECURITY COUNCIL. ]]
THE WORLD COMMUNITY IS SERIOUS ABOUT UPHOLDING
EVERY CLAUSE OF EVERY ONE OF THE 12 UNITED NATIONS
RESOLUTIONS -- FOR THE SAKE OF KUWAIT, OF COURSE, BUT
EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE SAKE OF US ALL -- FOR A
STABLE INTERNATIONAL ORDER IN THE FUTURE.
- 8 -
IN THIS FIRST TEST OF THE POST-COLD WAR ERA, WE
INTEND TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO ALL DICTATORS AND
DESPOTS, PRESENT AND FUTURE, THAT THE WORLD COMMUNITY
WILL UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW.
# # #
- 5 -
WE HAVE NO DESIRE FOR WAR. WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN
TO PRESERVE THE PEACE. BUT FOR PEACE TO BE PRESERVED,
IRAQ MUST COMPLY FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WITH THE 12
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS
AND ONE THING SADDAM MUST UNDERSTAND.
[[ THIS NATION IS NOT DIVIDED. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
STAND FIRMLY BEHIND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S
Z
PRINCIPLED RESPONSE TO AGGRESSION.
- 6 -
THEY KNOW THAT
WE MUST STOP THIS ARMED AND DANGEROUS
DICTATOR NOW, OR WE WILL FACE AN EVEN MORE COSTLY
CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE. APPEASEMENT NEVER PAYS -- AND
IT NEVER BUYS PEACE OR SECURITY.
IF SADDAM WON'T COME TO HIS SENSES
-- IF WAR MUST
COME
WE HAVE THE MEANS AND THE WILL TO MAKE IT
decisively
DECISIVE AND FINAL
IF WE GO IN -- WE GO IN TO WIN
ONE VIETNAM IS ONE VIETNAM TOO MANY -- AND THERE WILL
BE NO SECOND.