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Somalia 12/3/92 [OA 8485]
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Somalia 12/3/92 [OA 8485]
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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; 2005-0999-F; 2006-0861-F
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:
13648
Folder ID Number:
13648-025
Folder Title:
Somalia 12/3/92 [OA 8485]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
26
18
5
7
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 3, 1992
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
DAN MC GROARTY mur r
SUBJECT: SOMALIA
The attached draft has been prepared for your statement on
Somalia. It has been reviewed by General Scowcroft, Admiral Howe
and Bob Zoellick.
SECRET
DRAFT PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT
NSC/Revised McG 12/3/92, 3:15 p.m.
I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE TRAGEDY IN SOMALIA --
AND ABOUT A MISSION THAT CAN EASE SUFFERING AND SAVE LIVES.
WE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE BLESSED TO LIVE IN A NATION THAT
IS NOT RIVEN BY CIVIL WAR OR THREATENED BY A POWERFUL ENEMY.
WITH THE SUCCESSFUL END OF THE LONG AND COSTLY COLD WAR, WE
OVERCAME GRAVE THREATS THAT AMERICA AND THE WORLD HAD LIVED WITH
FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY. BUT IN THE POST COLD WAR PERIOD, WE
FACE A GROWING NUMBER OF CHALLENGES AS MANY NATIONS EXPERIENCE
INSTABILITY, WAR AND HUMANITARIAN DISASTERS. WE ARE WORKING HARD
WITH OTHER NATIONS TO RESTORE STABILITY AND BRING RELIEF TO THE
MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAGIC VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AND FAMINE.
THERE IS NO MORE SHOCKING HUMAN TRAGEDY THAN THAT IN
SOMALIA. THE SCOPE OF SUFFERING IS HARD TO IMAGINE. ALREADY,
OVER A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE -- [AS MANY PEOPLE AS LIVE IN
BUFFALO, NEW YORK,] -- HAVE DIED IN THE SOMALI FAMINE. IN THE
MONTHS AHEAD, FIVE TIMES THAT NUMBER -- ONE AND ONE HALF MILLION
PEOPLE -- MAY STARVE TO DEATH.
WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN SOMALIA FOR MANY MONTHS, AS
PART OF A MASSIVE INTERNATIONAL RELIEF EFFORT. AMERICA HAS SENT
[300 THOUSAND TONS] OF FOOD -- MORE THAN HALF OF WHAT THE WORLD
HAS GIVEN TO SOMALIA.
COURAGEOUS AID WORKERS FROM MANY COUNTRIES TRIED TO
DISTRIBUTE THE FOOD IN AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS
ENVIRONMENT. BUT THE CONVOYS FROM SOMALIA'S PORTS WERE BLOCKED.
THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH AIRCRAFT TO FLY THE FOOD OUT TO THE TOWNS
WHERE PEOPLE WERE STARVING.
SECRET
Declassify on: OADR
Determined To Be an Administrative
Marking Per E.O. 12356 Soc. 1.1 (a)
Ran 9/30/04
SECRET
2
so IN AUGUST, ACTING IN CONCERT WITH THE U.N., WE SENT IN
THE U.S. AIR FORCE TO FLY FOOD TO THE TOWNS. TO DATE, AMERICAN
PILOTS HAVE FLOWN OVER 1,400 FLIGHTS DELIVERING OVER 17 THOUSAND
TONS OF FOOD AID.
WHEN THE UN AUTHORIZED 3,500 UN GUARDS TO PROTECT THE RELIEF
OPERATION, WE FLEW IN THE FIRST OF THEM -- 500 SOLDIERS FROM
PAKISTAN.
BUT IN THE MONTHS SINCE THEN, THE SECURITY SITUATION HAS
GROWN WORSE. THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT IN SOMALIA. LAW AND ORDER
HAVE BROKEN DOWN. IN THE AREAS WHERE SUFFERING IS WORST, THERE
IS ANARCHY.
THE UN HAS BEEN PREVENTED FROM DEPLOYING ITS INITIAL
COMMITMENT OF TROOPS. RELIEF FLIGHTS CANNOT PROVIDE ENOUGH FOOD.
FOOD CONVOYS ON THE GROUND HAVE BEEN HIJACKED / AID WORKERS
ASSAULTED / SHIPS WITH FOOD HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO ARTILLERY
ATTACKS THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM DOCKING.
CONFRONTED WITH THESE CONDITIONS, RELIEF GROUPS CALLED FOR
OUTSIDE TROOPS TO PROVIDE SECURITY SO THEY COULD FEED PEOPLE.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION THAT WE TOLD THE UN THAT THE
UNITED STATES WOULD BE WILLING TO PROVIDE MORE HELP TO ENABLE
RELIEF TO BE DELIVERED. THE UN HAS, AFTER DUE DELIBERATION,
TODAY [update] ASKED THE UNITED STATES TO LEAD A COALITION TO GET
THE FOOD THROUGH.
LET ME SAY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: WE SEEK NO STRATEGIC
INTEREST IN COMING TO THE AID OF SOMALIA, NO SPECIAL ADVANTAGE.
WE TAKE THIS ACTION BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE -- BECAUSE OF WHAT
AMERICAN IDEALS MEAN TO US, AND TO THE WORLD.
SECRET
SECRET
3
THE PEOPLE OF SOMALIA -- ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN OF SOMALIA
-- NEED OUR HELP. WE CAN EASE THEIR SUFFERING. WE CAN HELP THEM
LIVE. WE CAN GIVE THEM HOPE. / AMERICA MUST ACT. //
IN TAKING THIS ACTION, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I UNDERSTAND
THE UNITED STATES ALONE CANNOT RIGHT THE WORLD'S WRONGS. BUT WE
ALSO KNOW THAT SOME CRISES IN THE WORLD CANNOT BE RESOLVED
WITHOUT AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT -- THAT AMERICAN ACTION IS NECESSARY
AS A CATALYST FOR BROADER INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY OF
NATIONS. IN THIS CASE, ONLY THE UNITED STATES HAS THE GLOBAL
REACH TO PLACE A LARGE SECURITY FORCE ON THE GROUND IN SUCH A
DISTANT PLACE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY. ONLY THE UNITED STATES
CAN LEAD A COALITION TO SAVE THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT SOMALIS FROM
DEATH.
A GREAT NATION, WITH OUR VALUES AND TRADITIONS, HAS NO
CHOICE BUT TO DO WHAT WE CAN WHEN WE ALONE CAN MAKE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENORMOUS TRAGEDY AND THE CHANCE FOR LIFE AND
HOPE. AFTER CONSULTING WITH MY ADVISORS AND THE CONGRESSIONAL
LEADERSHIP, I HAVE TODAY TOLD UN SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS GHALI
THAT AMERICA WILL ANSWER THE CALL. WE WILL NOT, HOWEVER, BE
ACTING ALONE. OTHER NATIONS FROM NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AFRICA,
ASIA, AND THE ISLAMIC WORLD HAVE SAID THEY WILL JOIN US.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS UN MANDATE, HERE IS WHAT WE AND OUR
COALITION PARTNERS WILL DO:
FIRST, WE WILL CREATE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IN THE WORST HIT
PARTS OF SOMALIA SO THAT FOOD CAN MOVE FROM SHIPS, OVER LAND, TO
THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE NOW DEVASTATED BY STARVATION.
SECOND, ONCE WE HAVE CREATED THAT SECURE ENVIRONMENT, WE
WILL HAND THE SECURITY MISSION BACK TO A REGULAR UN PEACEKEEPING
FORCE.
SECRET
SECRET
4
WHILE OUR MISSION IS HUMANITARIAN, WE WILL DEAL HARSHLY WITH
ANYONE WHO ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING FED. OUR
MISSION HAS A LIMITED OBJECTIVE: TO GET FOOD MOVING -- AND
PREPARE THE WAY FOR A UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE. I ANTICIPATE IT
WILL BE OF SHORT DURATION.
TO THE PEOPLE OF SOMALIA, I PROMISE THIS: WE DO NOT PLAN TO
KEEP FORCES IN YOUR COUNTRY. WE DO NOT PLAN TO DICTATE POLITICAL
OUTCOMES. WE RESPECT YOUR SOVEREIGNTY AND INDEPENDENCE. WE COME
TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR ONE REASON ONLY: WE COME IN PEACE TO FEED
THE STARVING.
LET ME SAY TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR ARMED FORCES: WE ARE
TURNING TO YOU TO DO A DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS JOB. AS COMMANDER
IN CHIEF, I ASSURE YOU: YOU WILL HAVE OUR FULL SUPPORT TO DO
WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO GET THE JOB DONE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE
COMPLETED YOUR MISSION, WE WILL BRING YOU HOME.
FINALLY, LET ME CLOSE WITH A MESSAGE TO THE FAMILIES OF THE
MEN AND WOMEN WHO TAKE PART IN THIS MISSION. I UNDERSTAND IT IS
DIFFICULT TO SEE YOUR LOVED ONES GO -- TO SEND THEM OFF KNOWING
THEY WILL NOT BE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. BUT THE HUMANITARIAN
MISSION THEY UNDERTAKE IS IN THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF SERVICE.
THEIR WORK WILL SAVE LIVES AND END SUFFERING. AND WHEN THEY
ARE DONE, ALL AMERICANS WILL WELCOME THEM HOME WITH HONOR AND
PRIDE.
THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
# # #
SECRET
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 3, 1992
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
DAN MC GROARTY mur
SUBJECT: SOMALIA
The attached draft has been prepared for your statement on
Somalia. It has been reviewed by General Scowcroft, Admiral Howe
and Bob Zoellick.
SECRET
DRAFT PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT
NSC/Revised McG 12/3/92, 3:15 p.m.
I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE TRAGEDY IN SOMALIA --
AND ABOUT A MISSION THAT CAN EASE SUFFERING AND SAVE LIVES.
WE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE BLESSED TO LIVE IN A NATION THAT
IS NOT RIVEN BY CIVIL WAR OR THREATENED BY A POWERFUL ENEMY.
WITH THE SUCCESSFUL END OF THE LONG AND COSTLY COLD WAR, WE
OVERCAME GRAVE THREATS THAT AMERICA AND THE WORLD HAD LIVED WITH
FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY. BUT IN THE POST COLD WAR PERIOD, WE
FACE A GROWING NUMBER OF CHALLENGES AS MANY NATIONS EXPERIENCE
INSTABILITY, WAR AND HUMANITARIAN DISASTERS. WE ARE WORKING HARD
WITH OTHER NATIONS TO RESTORE STABILITY AND BRING RELIEF TO THE
MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAGIC VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AND FAMINE.
THERE IS NO MORE SHOCKING HUMAN TRAGEDY THAN THAT IN
SOMALIA. THE SCOPE OF SUFFERING IS HARD TO IMAGINE. ALREADY,
OVER A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE -- [AS MANY PEOPLE AS LIVE IN
BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ] -- HAVE DIED IN THE SOMALI FAMINE. IN THE
MONTHS AHEAD, FIVE TIMES THAT NUMBER -- ONE AND ONE HALF MILLION
PEOPLE -- MAY STARVE TO DEATH.
WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN SOMALIA FOR MANY MONTHS, AS
PART OF A MASSIVE INTERNATIONAL RELIEF EFFORT. AMERICA HAS SENT
[300 THOUSAND TONS] OF FOOD -- MORE THAN HALF OF WHAT THE WORLD
HAS GIVEN TO SOMALIA.
COURAGEOUS AID WORKERS FROM MANY COUNTRIES TRIED TO
DISTRIBUTE THE FOOD IN AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS
ENVIRONMENT. BUT THE CONVOYS FROM SOMALIA'S PORTS WERE BLOCKED.
THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH AIRCRAFT TO FLY THE FOOD OUT TO THE TOWNS
WHERE PEOPLE WERE STARVING.
DETERMINED TO BE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE MARKING
SECRET
PER E.O. 12356, SEC 3.3 (C)
Declassify on: OADR
RML/DGC
1.1(a) (a)
9/30/04
SECRET
2
SO IN AUGUST, ACTING IN CONCERT WITH THE U.N., WE SENT IN
THE U.S. AIR FORCE TO FLY FOOD TO THE TOWNS. TO DATE, AMERICAN
PILOTS HAVE FLOWN OVER 1,400 FLIGHTS DELIVERING OVER 17 THOUSAND
TONS OF FOOD AID.
WHEN THE UN AUTHORIZED 3,500 UN GUARDS TO PROTECT THE RELIEF
OPERATION, WE FLEW IN THE FIRST OF THEM -- 500 SOLDIERS FROM
PAKISTAN.
BUT IN THE MONTHS SINCE THEN, THE SECURITY SITUATION HAS
GROWN WORSE. THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT IN SOMALIA. LAW AND ORDER
HAVE BROKEN DOWN. IN THE AREAS WHERE SUFFERING IS WORST, THERE
IS ANARCHY.
THE UN HAS BEEN PREVENTED FROM DEPLOYING ITS INITIAL
COMMITMENT OF TROOPS. RELIEF FLIGHTS CANNOT PROVIDE ENOUGH FOOD.
FOOD CONVOYS ON THE GROUND HAVE BEEN HIJACKED / AID WORKERS
ASSAULTED / SHIPS WITH FOOD HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO ARTILLERY
ATTACKS THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM DOCKING.
CONFRONTED WITH THESE CONDITIONS, RELIEF GROUPS CALLED FOR
OUTSIDE TROOPS TO PROVIDE SECURITY SO THEY COULD FEED PEOPLE.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION THAT WE TOLD THE UN THAT THE
UNITED STATES WOULD BE WILLING TO PROVIDE MORE HELP TO ENABLE
RELIEF TO BE DELIVERED. THE UN HAS, AFTER DUE DELIBERATION,
TODAY [update] ASKED THE UNITED STATES TO LEAD A COALITION TO GET
THE FOOD THROUGH.
LET ME SAY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: WE SEEK NO STRATEGIC
INTEREST IN COMING TO THE AID OF SOMALIA, NO SPECIAL ADVANTAGE.
WE TAKE THIS ACTION BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE -- BECAUSE OF WHAT
AMERICAN IDEALS MEAN TO US, AND TO THE WORLD.
SECRET
SECRET
3
THE PEOPLE OF SOMALIA -- ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN OF SOMALIA
-- NEED OUR HELP. WE CAN EASE THEIR SUFFERING. WE CAN HELP THEM
LIVE. WE CAN GIVE THEM HOPE. / AMERICA MUST ACT. //
IN TAKING THIS ACTION, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I UNDERSTAND
THE UNITED STATES ALONE CANNOT RIGHT THE WORLD'S WRONGS. BUT WE
ALSO KNOW THAT SOME CRISES IN THE WORLD CANNOT BE RESOLVED
WITHOUT AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT -- THAT AMERICAN ACTION IS NECESSARY
AS A CATALYST FOR BROADER INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY OF
NATIONS. IN THIS CASE, ONLY THE UNITED STATES HAS THE GLOBAL
REACH TO PLACE A LARGE SECURITY FORCE ON THE GROUND IN SUCH A
DISTANT PLACE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY. ONLY THE UNITED STATES
CAN LEAD A COALITION TO SAVE THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT SOMALIS FROM
DEATH.
A GREAT NATION, WITH OUR VALUES AND TRADITIONS, HAS NO
CHOICE BUT TO DO WHAT WE CAN WHEN WE ALONE CAN MAKE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENORMOUS TRAGEDY AND THE CHANCE FOR LIFE AND
HOPE. AFTER CONSULTING WITH MY ADVISORS AND THE CONGRESSIONAL
LEADERSHIP, I HAVE TODAY TOLD UN SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS GHALI
THAT AMERICA WILL ANSWER THE CALL. WE WILL NOT, HOWEVER, BE
ACTING ALONE. OTHER NATIONS FROM NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AFRICA,
ASIA, AND THE ISLAMIC WORLD HAVE SAID THEY WILL JOIN US.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS UN MANDATE, HERE IS WHAT WE AND OUR
COALITION PARTNERS WILL DO:
FIRST, WE WILL CREATE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IN THE WORST HIT
PARTS OF SOMALIA SO THAT FOOD CAN MOVE FROM SHIPS, OVER LAND, TO
THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE NOW DEVASTATED BY STARVATION.
SECOND, ONCE WE HAVE CREATED THAT SECURE ENVIRONMENT, WE
WILL HAND THE SECURITY MISSION BACK TO A REGULAR UN PEACEKEEPING
FORCE.
SECRET-
SECRET
4
WHILE OUR MISSION IS HUMANITARIAN, WE WILL DEAL HARSHLY WITH
ANYONE WHO ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING FED. OUR
MISSION HAS A LIMITED OBJECTIVE: TO GET FOOD MOVING -- AND
PREPARE THE WAY FOR A UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE. I ANTICIPATE IT
WILL BE OF SHORT DURATION.
TO THE PEOPLE OF SOMALIA, I PROMISE THIS: WE DO NOT PLAN TO
KEEP FORCES IN YOUR COUNTRY. WE DO NOT PLAN TO DICTATE POLITICAL
OUTCOMES. WE RESPECT YOUR SOVEREIGNTY AND INDEPENDENCE. WE COME
TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR ONE REASON ONLY: WE COME IN PEACE TO FEED
THE STARVING.
LET ME SAY TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR ARMED FORCES: WE ARE
TURNING TO YOU TO DO A DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS JOB. AS COMMANDER
IN CHIEF, I ASSURE YOU: YOU WILL HAVE OUR FULL SUPPORT TO DO
WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO GET THE JOB DONE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE
COMPLETED YOUR MISSION, WE WILL BRING YOU HOME.
FINALLY, LET ME CLOSE WITH A MESSAGE TO THE FAMILIES OF THE
MEN AND WOMEN WHO TAKE PART IN THIS MISSION. I UNDERSTAND IT IS
DIFFICULT TO SEE YOUR LOVED ONES GO -- TO SEND THEM OFF KNOWING
THEY WILL NOT BE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. BUT THE HUMANITARIAN
MISSION THEY UNDERTAKE IS IN THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF SERVICE.
THEIR WORK WILL SAVE LIVES AND END SUFFERING. AND WHEN THEY
ARE DONE, ALL AMERICANS WILL WELCOME THEM HOME WITH HONOR AND
PRIDE.
THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
# # #
SECRET