Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
323154738
label
Seymour Johnson AFB 2/1/91 [OA 4424]
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
323154738
contentType
document
title
Seymour Johnson AFB 2/1/91 [OA 4424]
citationUrl
identifierLocal
13883-021
collections
Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Mary Kate Grant Subject Files
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
323154738
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
743d60b1c34dd9c2
ocrText
Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
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:
Grant, Mary Kate, Files
Subseries:
Subject File, 1988-1991
OA/ID Number:
13883
Folder ID Number:
13883-021
Folder Title:
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, 2/1/91
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
18
29
1
1
4
I
7
I
00:8 6 16. 18 NUT
(N
POW/MIA insert
1
i
Col Dave Eberly and Maj Tom Griffith are
V
1
Prisoners of War. Maj Tom Koritz and Maj Donnie
Holland are Missing in Action. We can take comfort
T
in the fact that all are superstars trained and ready
I
for combat.
C
Tom Koritz is one of five pilots in the Air Force
00
who is also a flight surgeon. It's tough to be a
:
fighter pilot and a physician, but Tom's love of
1
flying is rivaled by his love of healing. He excels at
6
both.
Donnie Holland and Tom Griffith rank among the
few Weapon System Officers to fly the F-15E. Only
the very best from a selection of highly qualified
officers are chosen for this job.
Dave Eberly, as Director of Operations for the
4th, was out In front as always when his people flew
Into combat. He's a born leader and warrior.
These four of Seymour's finest rank among
American's most heroic and resourceful military
officers. That doesn't keep us from hurting for
them and for Julie Koritz, Cindy Holland, Liz Griffith,
Barb Eberly, and all the children. But It offers us
confidence and hope for their futures.
Transition into section on how Saddam will be
accountable.
PAGE.001 PAGE 001
P
,
0
1
Photocopy-Preservation
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AFB - HOME OF 4TH TACTICAL FIGHTER WING AND 68TH
AIR REFEULING WING. BOTH ARE IN SAUDI. 4TH MOTTO - "4TH BUT
1ST"
LAST SAT., TOWN OF GOLDSBURRO HAD A PROMILITARY PARADE WITH
8,000 PEOPLE. ABOUT 50PERCENT OR 2,000 ACTIVE DUTY ARE LEFT
AT THE BASE. THE REST ARE WITH DESERT STORM. FROM S.J. AFB
THEIR ARE CURRENTLY TWO POW'S AND TWO MIA'S. POTUS ARRIVAL
ABOUT 11:00AM HAVE PICNIC IN PINE PICNIC AREA ON THE BASE.
MIX AND MINGLE WITH SERVICE FAMILY MEMBERS. GIVE BRIEF
REMARKS WITH TOAST LECTURN THEN HAVE A PRIVATE MEETING WITH
POW/MIA FAMILY MEMBERS.
CALL BASE TO FIND OUT PUBLIC AFFAIRS PERSON SHOULDN'T HAVE
TOO MUCH TROUBLE
PENTAGON HAS NAMES OF MIA/POW.
BOB SIMON CAN BE REACHED AT (912) 238-1234, ROOM 723.
BOB SIMON'S SUGGESTED THEME:
"KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING."
ARMY EVENT 24TH INFANTRY DIV. AT FORT STEWART
SAME UNIT POTUS HAD LUNCH WITH THEM IN SAUDI ARABIA. CHECK
THANKGIVING FILE FOR MORE INFO.
SOLDIER MAGAZINE HAD BIG ARTICLE IN OCT. OR NOV. OF '90.
(COVER STORY) ABOUT ARMY UNIT.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Cherry Point, Notth Carolina)
For Immediate Release
February 1, 1991
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL AND FAMILIES
Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station
Cherry Point, North Carolina
8:43 A.M. EST
whose welcome. husband And it's a wonderful honor to be introduced by Ms. warm
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much for that
General the Secretary of the Navy Larry Garrett. of country.
me salute is doing such an outstanding job for the Hearney, Let
Colonel (Applause.) And General Mundy and General Richwine the
Chiefs. A1 Gray, upon whom I depend so much as a". member course, of Joint
Sutton. state and old friend, Jim Martin. And Mrs. Krulak of this
great McDyre and; of course) Governor Martim the Governor and
The Marines. Families (Applause. and friends, and members of The few. The and proud. Mrs.
who Well; form I am very pleased to be here this morning to salute all Morning." of you
There 5 to song which speaks of "Carolina in the
the magnificant Carolina MAGTF:
-- (laughter) -- once called you "not merely the elite Corps Navy of man this
Admiral Bull Halsey -- if you'll forgive me, a
country, but the olite Corps of this world. And I
that (Applause.) 12 Let de tell you; it's a real: privilege agree. -- and mean
(Applause, to be at a home base of the United States Mazine Corps. I
America. And today -- in wartime, as in peacetine -- story write of
For 218 years, the Corps has helped write the
the liberty which set men free
story still. It is the story of Semper si -- Always Faithful you -- that to
and I was way up there and those Marinos were way döwn there. And I
MY squadron helped cover the landings at Guam and Saipan,
beaches saw the courage then, firsthand. Think of the Marines storming the
Saudi Arabia.
Guadalcanal. Patrolling the skies from Okinawa to Korea, and now in
at Iwo. or taking the sholl-torn ridges at Chosin,
As I said Tuesday night in my State of the Union
enlisting in the cause of liberty and undertaking the hard work of
to be an American means writing new chapters in this story. speech, It means
as Marines have always done.
-- friends -- above all, families -- have bravely and willingly borne
freedom -- a cause which, today in the Persian Gulf, your colleagues
It comes as Fittle surprise that the first ground
engagement that in the Gulf war involved Marines. It comes as no surprise
bravely. the (Applause.) Their professionalism and sacrifice very will end
the Marines fought with great distinction and fought
nightmare -- I'm absolutely confident of that will end
again free. (Applause.)
nightmare of Iraq's brutal occupation, and ensure that Ruwait the is onca
What's this tueshirt up here? (Applause.)
MORE
- 2 -
ruthless aggression and protect our new world order from the tyranny help of
No, but their courage and commitment will punish
distators with no concern for human life.
schedule, Storm. My report to you today is that we are on course, Desert on
We're now more than two weeks into Operation
training, coalition military forces. And our investment,
by U.S. and capacity to wage war is being systematically night destroyed by
night, Iraq's and things go well. (Applause.) Day by day, we are
mistake require tire and sacrifice, but we will achieving -- our no
goals will and our planning are paying off. And, yes, our
we will have about that. (Applause.) And when we do prevail and make
this footsteps that there is no place for lawless would in
in his taught a dangerous tyrant and those few -- who when we follow do,
create. critical region and in the new world order that aggression we seek to
Service the 2nd Marine Division -- (applause) -- and the deployed
the the Gulf: 2nd Marine Airwing -- II squadrons and two battalions women like in
Every day, I think of our brave servicemen and
are deployed Support Group. (Applause.) Ninety percent of their 2nd Force
place in last full measure of devotion, and I will who have
given the And most of all, we think of all those a cause
than themselves. in the Gulf. And they, too, believe in members larger
these American my heart heroes. for the (Applause.) memories and especially for. always the families keep a of
President, far as the eye can see. (Applause.) And they show what stretch
I' told that not far from here yellow ribbons ao
"Morale a former general, Dwight Eisenbower meant when a former said,
communities of Jacksonville and Savelock care. And like
is the greatest single factor in successful wars." he The
touching troops and their families. And I think of support --
military communities all across America, they ve joined hands so to
Wives troops with their letters and their love. And your the schools
there's Program" -- linking families, and hearts. (Applause.) "Zey if
for, anyone around this country who wonders what we re fighting And
(Appleuse.) they need look no farther than right here in this room.
chests families. If there were; there would be as much decoration military
sufortunately there are no medals of valor for
dedicated as there, is pride within them. Two weeks ago, a on your was
our reminder of Havelock's home fires burning in bright
a constant "Operation Desert Storm: This beacon burning this is
inscription: & mile from here. It has service seals and monument
of military men and women and their families." (Applause.) support To of all
heart bravery of is lighting the heart -- believe me, it is
and more than just keeping the home fires burning. Your -- dedication you're
doing you -- spouses, children, parents, loved ones, Marines
women will every American. You're bastening the day when lighting the and
will come home. And let me repeat this to the families: your men We
longer than it takes us to complete this mission. (Applause.) one
stay in the Gulf fot as long as necessary, but not day
written America strong and great. Let RO leave you with words that keep
Today, in the GULF, Marines are enduring much to
have on another distant shore, and aireporter wrote, "The just
landed more than a century ago. Back then, the Marines had were
-- and landed and the situation is well in hand." Nothing has Marines changed
nothing will. (Applause.)
North it's the Carolina to lift the morale of the people. Let me assure you, to
You know I heard on the radio, the President is going
other way around after seeing this group. (Applause.)
you and this great country. And dost of mil, God bless the
So thank you -- thank you for your support. God bless
ever had. (Applause.) Thank you very much. (Applause.)
soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardsmen and Marines any nation finest has
END
8:53 A.M. EST
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Savannah, Georgia)
For Immediate Release
February 1, 1991
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO FORT STEWART PERSONNEL AND FAMILIES
Fort Stewart, Georgia
3:47 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you for that great welcome. Jill
-- Jill McCaffrey, it is my great pleasure to be here and to meet
with you. Barbara and I met the Commanding General -- met Jill's
nusband, General Barry McCaffrey, and many of his troops -- many of
your loved ones -- and we shared a meal with them on Thanksgiving
Day. And it was special, and we Bushes will never forget it. And
the food wasn't bad, either. (Laughter.) But I'll tell you, the
morale was great.
I want to salute General Burba, thank him for his
leadership in this most important command of his. I want to salute
and pay my respects to these two Senators from this state in which
this installation is located -- Senator Nunn, Chairman of our Armed
Services Committee; Senator Wyche Fowler -- and of course, your own
Congressman from this district who's been so supportive of everything
all of you are involved in, Congressman Thomas. To the new Governor
of this great state, Governor Miller, who is with us today, my
respects. And Colonel Lucas, thank you, sir, for your prayers.
And Colonel Frank Miller, if you can sing like your wife
does, why, you guys ought to go on the road. (Laughter.) But I
think I've mentioned everybody but Beetle Bailey here. (Laughter.)
But nevertheless, it is indeed a real pleasure to meet
with you. I've heard a lot from Colonel Miller and others about
Hinesville, and I heard a lot out in the Saudi desert, you can
believe me, about all of you, the Fort Stewart family. I came down
here to thank you on behalf of a grateful nation for your steadfast
service and sacrifice. Because when proud men and women of Fort
Stewart and Hunter Field put it all on the line, every one of you is
right there with them.
In times of trial, we fall back on faith and on family --
what a wise man once called the "little platoons" to which we all
belong; the little platoons that provide the 24th Infantry Division
with its fighting spirit and its staying power.
Right now, it's night in Saudi Arabia. The soldiers from
Fort Stewart are on duty -- one more day in more than five long
months away from home. Our thoughts are with them, day and night.
America's finest: Standing against an aggressor who must be stopped
-- standing up for the best -- all that is best in us. (Applause.)
Because those men and women know and you know, we all know that when
the forces of aggression take up arms, America cannot look the other
way.
It began with Kuwait, but that wouldn't have been the
end. What we've witnessed these last few weeks removed any last
shred of doubt about the adversary that we face. The terror bombing,
without military value -- the terror bombing of innocent civilians
with those Seud missiles. The brutal treatment -- that brutal,
inhumane treatment of our POWs. The endless appetite for evil that
would lead a man to make war on the world's environment. All of us
know what wa're up against. All of us know why we're there.
MORE
- 2 -
iio are thera because we are Americans -- part of
something that's larger than ourselves. Our cause 18 right. Our
cause is just. And because it is just, that world's cause will
prevail. (Applause.)
And when we win -- and we will -- (applause) -- we will
have taught a dangerous dictator -- and any tyrant tempted to follow
in his footsteps -- that the U.S. has a new credibility and that what
we say goes: and that there is no place for lawless aggression in the
Persian Gulf and in this new world order that we seek to create. And
we mean it, and he will understand that when the day is done.
(Applause.)
I know that all of you, especially all of you, are
anxious to know if and when a ground operation might begin. Let me
tell you now, it will only begin if necessary -- and when we decide
that the time is right. we will conduct this conflict on our terms,
on our timetable, not on Saddam Bussein's timetaole. (Applause.)
Let me assure you that Desert Storm is right on course.
Our training, our investment, our planning are all paying off.
American and allied forces are systematically destroying Irag's
capacity to wage war.
Every member of the 24th Infantry Division is part of 2
fighting tradition stretching back some 50 years. Back in November,
when I met with the men and women of the 24th, I told them about the
last Thanksgiving that I had spent 30 far away from home. It was on
a ship off the Philippine coast back in 1944. The 24th was there,
fighting to take Red Seach on Leyte Island in the campaign that
earned the 24th the nickname it so proudly bears today: The
"Victory" Division. (Applause.)
And back then, those -- close to 50 years ago -- Franklin
Delano Roosevelt sent a cable out to General MacArthur and the 24th
Division -- a message that -- very short -- I'd like to read it to
you today. FOR wrote them: "You have the nation's gratitude, and
the nation's prayers for success, as you and your men fight your way
back."
And now, many years later, once nora, the 24th is in the
front lines, far from nome. Once more, the nation's prayers -- and
the nation's pride -- are with the 24th and all the brave men and
women of Desert Storm. (Applause.)
I don't know whether it was Jill, but somebody told me
about the send-off back in August, when the 24th was among the first
to deploy to Saudi Arabia -- the way the poople of Hinosville and the
other towns near here lined not just the streets around Fort Stewart,
but lined the interstate all the way up I-95 to Hunter Field and
Savannah. what a sight that must have been to the proud soldiers of
Fort Stewart.
And let me say to all the children here with parents that
are serving over there in the Gulf, Keep in mind that no matter now
much you depend on your parents, your country depends on them, too.
And you've read at school about the great generals and some of the
presidents -- all about American history and American heroes. Well,
you see, that's just part of the great story about our country,
because your moms and dads are the heroes, too -- doing the hard work
of freedon, right now, half a world away.
I know it's been tough. It may get tougher. we've got
three of the Walker kids nere somewhere: Michael, Sioban and their
little brother martin. Their mom and dad are both now serving in
Saudi Arabia -- and they've been living with their babysitter, Ida
Sanders. addie and Brandon Bowman are here -- their dad went over in
August, anc their mom in November. Eddie and Brandon are staying
with a friend of their family -- Reggie Bray -- whose wife was called
up in the Recerves. I know at times like this the Fort Stewart
Family draws together, just gets tighter -- everyone pullo together,
MORE
- 3 -
the way a family always does.
And so to all you kics, let the say, be proud -- and stay
strong. Don't be afraid to ask family friends or your teachers at
school to help you when things get tough. And know that we're doing
everything we can to make sure your parents have the best possible
support to got the job done and get every man and woman of the
fighting 24th back home, uafe and sound just as soon as possible.
That is my goal as your Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.)
with those brave young men and women in mind, let this
nation come together this Sunday -- day after tomorrow -- on a day
that will be our National Day of Prayer. 1:0 are, you see, one nation
under God. and we will pray for the safety of every American and
allied serviceman and servicewoman, for every innocent caught up in
this terrible conflict, and for our POI:S, and for our MIAS. And may
all of our troops be safe and sound until the families of Fort
Stewart are united once again.
Thank you once again for this warn welcome and for all
your support. Anc let me tall you what I told some of the wives that
are supporting in this support group. when I got on Air Force One
this morning, I heard one of the television commentators say, well,
the President is going to three different places to help with the
morale. and, you seal it's been just the other way around. I've got
good morale. But I'll tell you, I'm going on home to see Barbara
with my morale sky-high because of the fantactic spirit -- (applause)
-- because of the fantastic suirit of the families that are giving
their all-out support to the finest fighting men and women that the
world nas ever seen.
God bless you all, and GOG bless the United States.
Thank you very, very much. (Applause.)
BND
4:10 P.M. EST
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Date 1-31
TO: CW
FROM:
CHRISTINA M. MARTIN
Deputy to the
Special Assistant for Communications
Room 121, Ext. 7152
Brice Caughman called.
We are to mention
CTen. Tony me Peak + wife
2 (Chief of Staff -AF)
Dr. or Sec. Don Rice + wife
1
(Sec. of AF )
in Segnour Johnson remarks
15 January 1991
MEMORANDUM FOR MARK LANGE
FROM:
JENNIFER GROSSMAN
SUBJECT:
IRAQ/GULF
1)
Current Biography, 1981:
"According to Patrick Seale of the London Observer,
(September 28, 1980), 'In 1969 he added a law degree to his
other honors by the simple expedient of turning up in the
examination hall with a pistol in his belt and accompanied
by four armed bodyguards. The examiners got the point.
"In the months that followed his accession to the
Presidency, Hussein became the subject of a carefully
orchestrated personality cult."
2) Gulf Strategy: January Themes and Messages--see for
comprehensive list of talking points
3) MEMO ON CONGRESSIONAL FLOOR STATEMENTS, Jan. 12, 1991
a.
Floor Statement by Rep. Stephen J. Solarz, Jan.12, 1991
"I believe there are some fundamental differences between
the situation in which we found ourselves in Vietnam then
and the situation we confront in the Persian Gulf today.
In Vietnam, vital American interests were never at stake.
In the Gulf they are.
In Vietnam, the cost in blood and treasure was out of all
proportion to the expected benefits of a successful defense
of South Vietnam.
In the Gulf, the enormous benefits of a successful effort to
get Iraq out of Kuwait far exceed the price we will have to
pay if force must be used.
We've heard a lot of talk in this debate about the need for
patience.
We were patient when Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931.
We were patient when Italy attacked Ethiopia in 1936.
We were patient when Germany Blitzkrieged Poland in 1939.
We were patient when Germany overran France in 1940.
We were patient, Mr. Speaker, right up to December 7, 1941-
-when Japan attacked us at Pearl Harbor--by which time
Germany had conquered almost all of Europe and Japan
controlled much of Asia.
The great lesson of our time is that when evil is on the
march it must be confronted.
In the Persian Gulf, almost half a year after the brutal and
unprovoked annexation of Kuwait, the time for patience has
ended and the time for firmness has arrived.
Saddam Hussein represents a clear and present danger not
only to the region but to the world.
He has gone to war twice in the last ten years
Driven by a megalomaniacal lust for power, he is determined
to dominate the entire Middle East.
And if he is not stopped now, we will only have to stop him
later, under circumstances where he will be much more
difficult and dangerous to contain
And if we prevail, as surely we will, we will have prevented
a brutal dictator from getting his hands on the economic
jugular of the world.
We will have protected and stabilized the arab governments
courageous enough to have opposed him
And, perhaps most importantly of all, by demonstrating that
aggression does not pay, and that the international
community will uphold the sanctity of existing borders, we
will have established a precedent which could lead to the
creation of a new world order, governed by the rule of law
rather than the law of the jungle, and in which nations
shall not make war against other nations anymore. "
b.
Remarks by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Jan. 11, 1991
"Now this sudden reversal of the world's fortunes reminds us
of a sad and an old lesson, which runs throughout the course
of human history: We humans are an imperfect species,
capable of both great good, but also great evil. Saddam's
fascistic tyranny, his brutal aggression are but the latest
examples of the capacity of human beings to inflict pain on
one another.
It's no easy thing to look into the eyes of men and women
who are marching off to the drum beat of war. It's no easy
thing to look into the eyes of their families gathered to
see these soldiers off, all of them haunted by the ultimate
question, 'Will I see my loved one again?'
More than 2,000 years ago, Herodotus said it; 'To have peace
you must prepare for war.
ON FAILURE OF SANCTIONS:
five months of sanctions have
given Saddam five months of time to pillage and rape Kuwait,
to fortify his defenses, to endanger further the lives of
American soldiers are there.
Five months later in Baghdad, restaurants and cafes and
discos remain open. Car dealers continue to sell cars and
high-rise apartments continue to rise. Starvation seems
very far away in this land where the science of agriculture
was in fact invented at the dawn of civilization.
No sanctions we impose can compare to the suffering the
Iraqi people faced with their eight-year war with Iran,
suffering which did nothing to dislodge Saddam from power or
to change his course. How can we hope that a man who would
kill his own people with poison gas will retreat because his
people may have to stand in line for food?
Remember the words of Pericles more than 2,000 years ago,
responding to the demands of the Spartans for peace at any
price, at the price of compromise, particularly. He
said. There is one principle which I hold to through
everything: if you give way, you will instantly have to meet
some greater demand,
(quoting Eisenhower) : 'Eagerness to avoid war can produce
outright or implicit agreement that injustices and wrongs of
the present shall be perpetuated into the future We must
not participate in any such false agreement. Thereby, we
would outrage our own conscience. In the eyes of those who
suffer injustice, we would become partners with their
oppressors. In the judgement of history, we would have sold
out the freedom of men for the potage of false peace. We
would assure future conflict.
President Franklin Roosevelt said, 'There can be no
stability or peace either within nations or between nations,
except under laws and moral standards adhered to by all.
International anarchy destroys every foundation for peace.
It jeopardizes either the immediate or the future security
of every nation, large or small. It is, therefore, a matter
of vital interest and concern to the people of the United
States that the maintenance of international morality be
restored.
A victory by Saddam Hussein is a victory of anarchy over
order, of war over peace, of brutality over liberty, of
immorality over morality
Victory for Saddam will embolden all who share his thirst
for power and disregard for civil conduct. The defeat of
Saddam will restore international morality and enhance
prospects for a generation of civilized relations, peaceful
relations, among the nations of the world."
C.
Rep. Les Aspin, Jan. 12, 1991:
"If the United States is to be credible in the post-cold-
war world, if the United Nations is to be a useful vehicle
for collective security, then we cannot shrink from the use
of force. A future aggressor can ignore the next UN
deadline if we ignore this one."
d.
Sen. John Warner, Jan. 11, 1991:
"As CIA Director Webster stated in his letter to the
Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee dated January
10th of this year, 'Our judgment remains that even if
sanctions continue to be enforced for an additional six to
twelve months, economic hardship alone is unlikely to compel
Saddam Hussein to retreat from Kuwait or cause regime-
threatening popular discontent in Iraq. "
e.
Rep. Robert Michel, Jan. 10, 1991
"Patience and delay can be virtues when they help bring
about military or diplomatic goals. But when patience and
delay become foreign policy goals in themselves they're
no
longer virtues.
Patience at any price is not a policy; it's a cop-out
Let no one in this chamber or anyone else lecture me on the
horrors of war.
If Saddam convinces his neighbors he can survive this
crisis, he'll become something more than a former hit man
with delusions of grandeur. He'll be someone who has
triumphed over a worldwide coalition. And if you seriously
think that that wouldn't be a sinister event in the history
of the 20th century, I think you're fooling yourself."
4)
DOE TALKING POINTS FOR ADMIRAL WATKINS
"Everybody has been hurt by the crisis in the Middle East
because oil is an essential fuel for the global economy
--World uses nearly 64 million barrels every day"
"Now, let me make a few comments about our response here in
the U.S.
--We've managed to increase our production of oil by over
200,000 barrels a day
--And we've reduced our consumption about 5% from the same
period last year
--Stocks of crude oil, gasoline, diesel, heating oil--these
are all at the normal range
--Refineries are running at normal levels for this time of
year"
"Worldwide, consumption is also down-about 2.5 percent
according to preliminary estimates--while supplies are back
to pre-invasion levels"
"Global strategic stocks now stand at over one billion
barrels"
"What I'm telling you is that--
1. World oil supplies are fully adequate today
2. World demand is dropping
3. Strategic reserves are fully ready to be used as needed"
"The crude is there--the product stocks are there--and the
market will work--if people don't panic.
"Whatever happens in the Middle East--
--oil will flow-it did after August 2
--Tankers will move through the gulf--they did all during
the Iraq-Iran war
--Also, at any given moment, there is six weeks of oil on
the water and right now, most experts agree, there is a
great deal more oil on the water--in effect, in 'floating
storage'
--And strategic stocks are ready for should there be a
need"
5)
"SPEAK FROM THE GUT" MEMO FROM J.P. JOHNSON OF NGSA
(suggested language for SOU) :
"I also come to you as a person who has been in combat: that
most personal and terrifying of all human experiences. I
have known the ravages of war. As a very young man my plane
was shot down over the Pacific. I saw my friends and
comrades make the ultimate sacrifice for their country and
peace.
"I have noticed over the years that many men who have fought
in combat rarely talk about their war experiences. And I
know why. It's not that combat veterans are modest.
Instead, it's the memory of our friends and comrades who
gave their lives beside us which makes talking about combat
so emotional."
"I hold the experiences of combat in a secret place in my
heart. It's not something I want to talk about. But I will
say that every time I have a birthday, my thoughts go to the
memory of my friends who made the ultimate sacrifice when
our plane was shot down. My thoughts go back to those who
were wounded beside me. What would their lives have been
like? These thoughts and questions haunt all of us who have
been in the midst of battle. "
"I do know that the cause was just. And now I understand
the burden of those who sent us into battle."
"When my plane was shot down in the Pacific so many years
ago, I believe that I was spared to be a servant of peace,
not war. Much of my public life, from my time as United
Nations' Ambassador to my eight years as Vice President, has
been focused on the arena of international diplomacy. I
believe that this prepared me to exhaust all avenues of
diplomacy since August 2, in order to bring world pressure
on Saddam Hussein and bring about his withdrawal without
resorting to military action. "
"But it was not enough that Saddam terrorize his own people
and plunder his own land. He cast his eye on a small
country on his borders and invaded Kuwait. Left unchecked
the tyrant's greed has no boundaries. Left unchecked, where
will he strike next? What would he do, with the tyrant's
lust for riches, if he is allowed to develop nuclear
weapons?"
"Isn't this the time for the world community to take a
stand?"
"My heart breaks when I think of the suffering of the people
of Kuwait. Their suffering, sacrifice and death. But I am
inspired by their courage. Did you know that when our
hostages returned from Kuwait they reported that not one
Kuwaiti--under penalty of torture and death--turned in an
American to Saddam? Yet many of these noble people died to
protect our citizens who were hiding for months in their
land."
"These numerous stories of heroism which have been told in
recent weeks make clear not only what we are fighting for,
but who we are fighting with."
"Tonight I come to you, the American people, who live in a
land made free by the sacrifice of my generation and others
going back two hundred years. I ask each American to
support me in this dark hour. But I ask each of you to also
support the court of world opinion, which has said that the
noble people of Kuwait must be freed from the heel of this
evil tyrant."
6)
Carolyn's memo: PAZ quote
"
I will never see an argument for liberty in murder.
I know of nothing more servile, more cowardly, more
obtuse than a terrorist."
"Never mistake the tyrant for the liberator."
7)
NEWS SUMMARY
"The Persian Gulf crisis has dealt a serious blow to the
world economy, reducing the growth of global output in 1990
by 0.3 percent, the U.N. department of international
economic and social affairs said."
8)
GULF POLICY THEMES, Revised 12/14/90:
'--Saddam is a ruthless despot who has attacked two
neighbors without warning. He is harboring terrorists and
Kuwait. he is systematically exterminating the sovereign nation of
--Saddam's resources are imposing. He commands the world's
sixth largest army, uses chemical weapons--even against his
own people, deploys ballistic missiles, develops biological
weapons and seeks nuclear weapons. If he is not stopped
now, if his aggressive designs are not frustrated and
contained, he will threaten al of us later--at which point
we will all pay a higher price.
--Saddam seeks to dominate a politically volatile region,
with great potential for conflict. His aggression imperils
the world's oil lifelines, threatening recession and
depression here and abroad, hitting hardest those fledgling
democracies least able to cope with Saddam's aggression
--Morally, we must act so that international law, not
international outlaws governs the post-Cold War world.
--Politically, we must stand for American leadership, not
because no one else can do the job."
9)
SEC. BAKER'S STATEMENT BEFORE THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE, Dec. 5, 1990:
it as a nation.
"As we wait, Saddam will continue torturing Kuwait, killing
As we wait, he will continue manipulating hostages,
attempting to break the coalition.
As we wait he will continue to fortify Kuwait, to build
chemical and biological weapons, and to acquire a nuclear
weapons capability.
As we wait, he expects other issues to deflect our
attention, weaken our resolve, and dissolve the
international coalition.
As we wait, the burden of Saddam's crime weighs heavier on
the world.'
10) VICE PRESIDENT QUAYLE'S ADDRESS TO SETON HALL UNIVERSITY,
November 29, 1990:
"Our finest schools have kept firmly in mind what Dr. Samuel
Johnson, the great eighteenth century British man of
letters, termed the 'supreme end of education: expert
discernment in all things--the power to tell the good from
the bad, the genuine from the counterfeit, and to prefer the
good and the genuine to the bad and the counterfeit.
" (Saddam Hussein's) goal is to dominate the Persian Gulf
region and use its vast wealth to become the greatest Arab
hero of modern times, the leader of a new Arab superpower.
To that end, he spent some fifty billion dollars on arms
imports during the 1980's alone."
"
the prospect of Saddam Hussein strutting across the world
stage at the head of a malevolent global power, armed to the
teeth with weapons of mass destruction, and controlling a
large portion of the world's energy supplies, is something
no sane person would welcome."
"with the end of the Cold War, the chances of a Soviet-
American clash in any Third World conflict, including the
Middle East, have greatly diminished. Unfortunately, so
have the traditional restraints that the superpowers used to
impose on their regional clients. As a result, unless the
U.N. Charter's rules about using force are not reaffirmed
and defended fairly quickly, we face the dangerous prospect
of a new, post-Cold War world that is actually more
anarchic, and more violence-prone, than the world which
preceded it. "
"Iraq's invasion of Kuwait is the first crisis of the post-
Cold War world. One way or another, it is bound to set a
precedent--either on behalf of greater world order or on
behalf of greater chaos.' "
"As President Bush told American troops in Saudi Arabia
during Thanksgiving, 'Each day that passes brings Saddam one
day closer to realizing his goal of a nuclear weapons
arsenal
And we do know this for sure: He has never
possessed a weapon that he didn't use.
11) DRAFT OP-ED, PERSIAN GULF
"First, it is important to avoid attempts to force a false
choice between pragmatism and principle. America's ideals,
far from being mutually exclusive, are in fact threads of
the same cloth."
" (Saddam Hussein's) cynical disregard for international
norms and the rule of law must not themselves be rewarded
with cynicism.'
"America must lead, as we always have, and only can."
12) "Famed unit called to duty again," USA Today, November 9,
1990:
"The Big Red One has once again been called to duty in a
faraway land
the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) of
Fort Riley, Kan. has been linked to U.S. wars and military
campaigns since early in the 20th century Its motto: 'No
mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great, duty first.
13) TOM CLANCY: "Something Worth Going to War For, " Los Angeles
Times, November 7, 1990:
"America has had the luxury throughout its history of not
having its national existence directly threatened by a
foreign enemy. Yet we have gone to war. Why?"
"The United States of America is not a piece of dirt
stretching mainly from the Atlantic to the Pacific. More
than anything else, America is a set of principles, and the
historical fact is that those principles have not only
served us well, but have also become a magnet for the rest
of the world, a large chunk of which decided to change
course last year. Those principles are not merely aesthetic
ideas
"
"We have settled on (those principles) not because they are
pretty; we settled on them because they are the only things
that work. If you have trouble believing that, ask a Pole.
"Integrity is the most respected of virtues for the simple
reason that integrity means acting on principle, not for
advantage. As it is with individuals, so it is with
nations. Principle is what gives life meaning."
"It has been a principle of American foreign policy for a
very long time that to tolerate aggression invites more
aggression. We punish thieves not to restore what they have
stolen, but to keep them from stealing again, and to deter
others from stealing. What is true for criminally inclined
individuals is equally true of countries, with the added
dimension that nation-state-sized criminals can steal and
kill on a vast scale. "
"
war is not discouraged by running away from it any more
than criminals are discouraged by the absence of police.
Those people must be confronted sooner or later, and sooner
is better. The dictum is clear: All that is required for
the triumph of evil is for good men to stand by and do
nothing."
"To assume that Iraq will go no further makes Neville
Chamberlain seem a perceptive realist."
14) PRESIDENT BUSH: "Aggression in The Gulf: A Partnership of
Nations, 1990: " Delivered to the U.N. General Assembly, October 1,
"We've seen a century sundered by barbed threats and barbed
wire, give way to a new era of peace and competition and
freedom. The revolution of '89 swept the world almost with
a life of its own, carried by a new breeze of freedom that
transformed the political climate from Central Europe to
Central America, and touched almost every corner of the
globe. That breeze has been sustained by a now almost
universal recognition of a simple, fundamental truth: The
human spirit cannot be locked up forever."
"We're not talking about the power of nations, but the power
of individuals--the power to choose, the power to risk, the
power to succeed. This is a new and different world. Not
since 1945 have we seen the real possibility of using the
United Nations as it was designed, as a center for
international collective security."
*****"TWO months ago, in the waning weeks of one of
history's most hopeful summers, the vast, still beauty of
the peaceful Kuwaiti desert was fouled by the stench of
diesel and the roar of steel tanks. And once again, the
sound of distant thunder echoed across a cloudless sky. And
August once again, the world awoke to face the guns of
But this time, the world was ready. The United
Nations Security Council's resolute response to Iraq's
unprovoked aggression has been without precedent."
a dark relic from a dark time.
"Iraq's unprovoked aggression is a throwback to another era,
"It is in our hands to leave these dark machines behind, in
the dark ages where they belong, and to press forward to cap
era of peace."
a historic movement towards a new world order, and a long
"And as we look to the future, the calendar offers up a
convenient milestone, a signpost by which to measure our
progress as a community of nations. The year 2000 marks a
turning point, beginning not only the turn of the decade,
millennium." not only the turn of the century, but also the turn of the
"I see a world of open borders, open trade and, most
importantly, open minds, a world that celebrates the common
heritage that belongs to all the world's people...
"We've shown that the U.N. can rise to the challenge of
aggression, just as its founders hoped that it would."
15) "Iraq Torture Chamber is Reported in Kuwait," Los Angeles
Times, October 5, 1990:
"
the Iraqi occupiers have set out on a course of
systematic execution, torture, disappearances and looting on
a grand scale 'the transplantation of an entire nation,
one diplomat called it."
"Eyewitnesses said that at one Kuwait city hospital alone,
the mutilated bodies of about 230 victims have been
delivered from the complex since Iraq invaded Aug. 2."
"
summary executions and torture by Iraqi authorities in a
campaign to crush the Kuwaiti resistance movement."
"(Iraq's 1st deputy prime minister, Taha Yassin Ramadan
replied to questioning on human rights abuses by saying) :
'Kuwait is none of your affair And we will cut off the leg
of anybody who should enter Kuwait illegally. (so go cut
off your own leg, ya bozo!)
"
the Amnesty International report only scratched the
surface, according to what eyewitnesses and reliable sources
told The Times.
"The 230 bodies that have been received at Amiri Hospital
from the Bibi Saleh Center all bore evidence of torture-
'missing fingers and noses, lacerated ears and scorched
eyeballs, as one source put it."
"The torture and executions are but a small part of Iraq's
overall submission and 'requisition' campaign in Kuwait,
which has now been stripped so bare that the entire medical
system has ground to a halt and such huge items as newspaper
printing presses, power-plant generators, brick-factory
machinery, traffic lights, telephone poles and even computer
complexes have been dismantled and transported to Iraq. "
"
newly installed Iraqi authorities at Kuwait's only home
for the elderly requisitioned special jellies reserved only
for cancer patients to serve as dessert at a party for
Iraq's visiting health minister.' "
(one source said) : "'My office had a good view of the
highway north, and day after day the road had been packed
with trucks heading toward Iraq filled to the brim with
generators, transformers, power poles, traffic lights, bulk
salt, marble, cement, cigarettes, pig iron, steel, vehicles,
rice, and well, you name it
16) "The Barbarities of Hussein, " U.S. News and World Report,
October 1, 1990:
"On the sixth day of their invasion, Iraqi soldiers
reportedly entered the Adan Hospital in Fahaheel looking for
hospital equipment to steal. They unplugged the oxygen to
the incubators supporting 22 premature babies and made off
with the incubators. All 22 children died."
"The next day, at the same hospital, Iraqi troops brought in
a badly injured captain and soldier for treatment. When
told both men had died, the troops accused hospital
employees of killing them and shot five on the spot. Two
days later, the Iraqis cut off water to the hospital."
"At the intensive-care unit of the Mubarak hospital, Iraqis
reportedly cut off the oxygen and IV drip supporting the 75-
year-old mother of a Kuwaiti cabinet minister. 'They just
let her die, said one witness.'
"Some 80 Kuwaitis were kicked out of a dialysis facility at
another hospital."
"In a bizarre incident, witnesses said Iraqi soldiers
settled near Kuwait's national zoo, expelled the ZOO keepers
and left the animals without food and water for over three
days. They then left the animals out of their cages and
'started having fun shooting and killing them. A lion
managed to escape and ran to a nearby neighborhood where it
bit an 11-year-old girl on the shoulder. She could not get
proper treatment, developed a secondary infection and died a
few days later.'
"The worst crime of all,' as Justice Robert Jackson said at
Nuremberg, is to plot and wage aggression upon innocent
people.'
17) PRESIDENT BUSH: "The Persian Gulf; The Deficit Problem,"
Delivered before a Joint Session of Congress, Sept. 11,
1990:
"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."
"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."
"Let me also make clear that the United States has no
quarrel with the Iraqi people. Our quarrel is with Iraq's
dictator, and with his aggression. Iraq will not be
permitted to annex Kuwait. That's not a threat, or a boast,
that's just the way it's going to be."
"Our world leadership and domestic strength are mutual and
reinforcing; a woven piece, as strongly bound as Old Glory."
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Goldsboro, North Carolina)
For Immediate Release
February 1, 1991
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO AIR FORCE PERSONNEL AND FAMILIES
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Goldsboro, North Carolina
11:55 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so very much. Cynthia, thank
you for that introduction. This is the warmest picnic on a cold day
I've ever attended, I'll tell you. (Applause.) And really, it's
great to be here at Seymour Johnson, home of the 4th Tactical Fighter
Wing -- the "Rocketeers" and the "Chiefs" -- (applause) -- as well as
these great refueling units, the 68th and the 916th. (Applause.)
And let me just pay my respects and say what an unbelievable job
Colonel "Jumbo" Wray is doing here on this base. We're very proud of
him. (Applause.) While your Wing Commander, Colonel Hornburg, is
deployed with Desert Storm, Jumbo is filling in, doing just great.
And I'm also glad to see a man that flew over with me
from our last stop -- that's Governor Martin out here, the Governor
of this state. Congressman Martin Lancaster, from this district, and
I am very proud he is with us here today. And, of course, the
Mayor, Mayor Plunk is with us, too. And I wanted to specifically
thank the Military Affairs Committee of the Wayne County Chamber of
Commerce for hosting this fantastic picnic. I don't believe I've had
so much fun in a long, long time. (Applause.)
And, of course, I do want to salute two others -- our
very able Secretary of the Air Force, that you just met, Don Rice
back there; as well as the Air Force Chief of Staff, General Tony
McPeak (Applause.) -- both of them doing a fantastic job for our country.
This is a three-stop day for me. We just came here from
the Marine Air Station at Cherry Point, and from here we head to Fort
Stewart. But I want to tell you how very pleased I am to be able to
spend some time meeting and talking to at least some of you --
especially the kids -- because I KROW in my heart how tough these
days can be. There's a lot of waiting, a lot of uncertainty. The
not knowing. But each of you do know this: The men and women from
Seymour Johnson are doing a fantastic job for this country, and we
are very, very grateful. (Applause.)
You've got the tactical fighters and the refuelers and
the medical personnel -- (applause) -- the civil engineers and the
security police. I just want you to know how grateful the nation is
to this entire team -- and to you -- and to share with you here today
just a few thoughts. I cast fear and horror into the heart of one
guy I was having lunch with because I told him this was going to take
45 minutes -- it won't, believe me.
But let me just share some thoughts with you. I probably
don't need to tell you that the brave servicemen and women of this
base are part of the most motivated, the best educated, the best
equipped armed forces in the history of this great country of ours --
bar none. (Applause.) Because they are, and you are, doing the hard
work of freedom, the cause of freedom will prevail. I'm absolutely
certain of that. (Applause.)
You know, we're now more than two weeks into Desert
MORE
- 2 -
Storm. And I'm happy to say and -- put it this way -- we are on
course and we are on schedule. And as each day passes, Iraq's war
machine, thanks to many of your loved ones, is being systematically
destroyed by our allied military forces. Our investment, our
training, and our planning are paying off. And, yes, sacrifices
still lay ahead, but we will succeed. And when we do, we will have
taught Saddam Hussein -- and all others like him -- that there is no
place for lawless aggression in the region or in this new world order
that we envision. (Applause.)
While I'm here, I would be remiss if I didn't salute what
the U.S. and coalition airmen have accomplished. Air superiority is
an established fact now. The Iragi Air Force is no longer a factor.
(Applause.) And I know that this base, as much as any base in the
country -- this base is very proud of the way that we have used air
superiority to go after Saddam's missiles of terror. (Applause.)
And, yes, our mission in the Gulf is demanding and it's
difficult, but I can tell you that our troops will not be asked to
accomplish their mission with one hand tied behind their back. We
are not going to do that in this war. (Applause.) And let me say
something else -- your husbands and wives, and your moms and dads
will not be in that Gulf one day longer than is absolutely necessary.
I want them home, and I want them all home. (Applause.)
And finally and I don't think I have to tell this
particular group this point -- but I want each of you and all our
troops -- this really is for the troops -- I want you to know that
the American people stand with you. And I hope you had a chance to
watch at least part of that -- the part of the State of the Union
message that I want to mention to you because if you did, you would
have seen a very moving scene: The entire Congress -- and
Congressman Lancaster was there: he will tell you this is true -- the
entire Congress, the Cabinet, the Supreme Court, the Joint Chiefs,
the diplomatic corps, rose to their feet in a prolonged, heartfelt
tribute to the troops. It was a moving thing. And if only you could
have felt it as I did standing up there in front of the Congress --
felt the thunder of the applause and sensed the emotion that filled
that chamber. And the cheering for our Armed Forces -- and it was
strong, it was for them -- was followed by two more standing ovations
for you, the courageous families of our servicemen and women. And it
was for you and for our troops. And that's exactly the way it should
have been.
And I hope that that Saddam Hussein, in his bunker
somewhere in Baghdad, saw every single minute of it. And if he had
-- (applause) -- and if he did, maybe he now understands that we are
a nation united in support of our troops. (Applause.)
I know it's been tough on a lot of you -- maybe all
-- here at at Seymour Johnson. And I know also what it is that you
have offered this great nation of ours. I understand what it is you that
I have asked of you, what General McPeak has asked of you. Members
of this fighting unit have voluntarily set aside their freedom to
wage this battle. But while today some may be prisoners of war, and
and faith in God keeps their spirit free. No foreign dictator can
others may have made the ultimate sacrifice, a lifetime of democracy
American. imprison the love of liberty that beats in the hearts of every
And before I finish, I'd like to say something to all of
the kids here today. I want you to know that your parents, your
loved ones, our troops in the Gulf, are enduring the hardships of war
today so that you may know the blessings of peace tomorrow.
good for the soul and proves the strength of America's spirit. And I
and knowing the support that you have received from this community is
And seeing such strong, wonderful families here today,
And when I climbed on Air Force One of this morning out there, I told
thank each and every one of you -- I thank each and every one of you.
them this over at Cherry Point, I heard on the television, President
Bush is visiting the bases to help lift the moral. And it's been
MORE
- 3 -
exactly 180 degrees the other way around. My moral has been pretty
darn good, frankly, but seeing those people over there and now all of
you, my moral has never been more sky-high. (Applause.)
Thank you for this fantastic support for the troops.
(Applause.) Because you see -- you see, I do draw strength and
courage from your forbearance for the job that the Colonel and all
the others are doing around here. And I ask God's blessing upon you
all -- every one of you -- and upon every soldier and sailor, Marine,
airman and Coast Guardsman -- every man and woman now serving in the
Persian Gulf. What a wonderful country we have. And nothing could
prove that more than the patriotism and the courage and the devotion
of your loved ones, our beloved troops, halfway around the world.
May God bless the United States of America and each and
every one of you. (Applause.) Thank you very, very much.
END
12:06 P.M. EST