zionism

[Seth Ackerman]

Brad DeLong wrote:

> Primary sources? Chomsky's take on reality is... weird. 
> 
.
Well, all the primary sources are listed there.

But, hey - you don't like Chomsky? How about Bob Woodward? (Remember, I'm
all about pragmatism and reasonable compromise!)

Seth

---

...from The Commanders by Bob Woodward, 1999:


While Bush has co-authored a book on foreign policy decisions with
Scowcroft, the former president has not written his memoirs and says he has
no plans to do so. But private dictated entries from Bush's diary were
obtained from the records of Joseph diGenova, who served as an independent
counsel investigating the mini-scandal that became known as Passportgate.
They are quoted here for the first time. 

[...]

In January 1991, Bush met with his national security team to discuss what to
do about Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait the previous
August. 

"So if he gets out without a war, that's okay?" Bush asked his chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Colin Powell. 

"Yes, sir," Powell replied. That was the goal of both the United States and
the United Nations -- Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. If there was no war, no
U.S. servicemen would be killed, Powell stated, speaking like a good
military leader looking out for his troops. 

Secretary of State James A. Baker III, a talented, ambitious close friend
from Texas and a subtle rival of the president's, said he agreed. Baker
wanted to bring home victory through diplomacy. If he could negotiate an
Iraqi withdrawal, it would be a monumental personal achievement. 

Next Bush and Scowcroft, almost together, jumped on Powell and Baker. 

"Don't you realize that if he pulls out, it will be impossible for us to
stay?" Scowcroft asked. Bush nodded in agreement as Scowcroft spoke. The
massive U.S. force -- 500,000 troops in all -- could not remain in the
region indefinitely, Scowcroft said. It would be politically and
logistically impossible -- and politically insupportable in the United
States -- to keep the troops there for an extended period. The nightmare
would be for Saddam to pull out of Kuwait and move back into Iraq but stay
on the border. His army could wait indefinitely, threatening to invade
again. The allied coalition needed the chance to destroy Saddam's army or at
least to devastate it so it would not be a threat in the near future. 

It was sobering, the president agreed, the most sobering reality of the
crisis. He had to play all the diplomatic cards. But, he made clear, a
diplomatic solution would in fact bring about a larger crisis. Looking
squarely at his advisers, the president said plainly, "We have to have a
war." 

Scowcroft was aware that this understanding could never be stated publicly
or be permitted to leak out. Americans were peacemakers, not warmongers. An
American president who declared the necessity of war would probably be
thrown out of office. But the president's words reflected the stark reality
of the gulf confrontation.