Ending a War, Beginning a Peace

General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

(Excerpts from remarks by Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf to troops departing for the US, March 8, 1990)

It's a war story worth telling and every one of you deserve to tell it.

I ask all of you when you tell that story don't forget to tell the whole story ... Don't ever forget to say that the first tank division of the United Kingdom was protecting your right flank. And don't ever forget to say there was an Egyptian corps protecting their right flank and there was an Arab task force of Saudi Arabians protecting their right flank. And two divisions of Marines out there making a hard push into Kuwait City with a fine Saudi Arabian force protecting their flank. And don't ever forget to say in your story, there were Kuwaitis, Omanis, French Foreign Legion protecting our right flank with Egyptian forces involved because you were part of a great coalition ...

You served in a place I'm sure none of you thought you'd serve. You've been places you never heard of, you've been places you can't even pronounce. But you a] so better take back with you some free lessons. Lessons that your family, friends and the world can hear.

You're going to take back the fact that the word Arab isn't a bad word. That you do not judge all Arabs by the actions of a few. And I know here that we have a close, wonderful, warm and thankful people for us being here [who] have expressed that thanks in many different ways.

And you're going to take back the fact there are many soldiers in this world and you worry about them and you greatly respect them.

And you are going to take back the fact that Islam is not a word to be feared, a religion to be feared, it's a religion to be respected just as we respect all other religions; that's the American way ...

President George Bush

(Excerpts from remarks to a joint session of Congress, March 6, 1991)

All of us grieve for the victims of war, for the people of Kuwait—and the suffering that scars the soul of that proud nation. We grieve for all our fallen soldiers and their families—for all the innocents caught up in the conflict. And, yes, we grieve for the people of Iraq—a people who have never been our enemy. My hope is that one day we will once again welcome them as friends into the community of nations.

Our commitment to peace in the Mideast does not end with the liberation of Kuwait. So tonight, let me outline four key challenges to be met.

First, we must work together to create shared security arrangements in the region. Our friends and allies in the Middle East recognize that they will bear the bulk of the responsibility for regional security. But we want them to know that just as we stood with them to repel aggression, so now America stands ready to work with them to secure the peace.

This does not mean stationing US ground forces in the Arabian Peninsula, but it does mean American participation in joint exercises involving both air and ground forces. It means maintaining a capable US naval presence in the region—just as we have for over 40 years. Let it be clear: Our vital national interests depend on a stable and secure Gulf.

Second, we must act to control the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the missiles used to deliver them. It would be tragic if the nations of the Middle East and Persian Gulf were now, in the wake of war, to embark on a new arms race.

Iraq requires special vigilance. Until Iraq convinces the world of its peaceful intentions—that its leaders will not use new revenues to rearm and rebuild its menacing war machine—Iraq must not have access to the instruments of war.

And third, we must work to create new opportunities for peace and stability in the Middle East. On the night I announced Operation Desert Storm, I expressed my hope that out of the horrors of war might come new momentum for peace. We've learned in the modem age geography cannot guarantee security—and security does not come from military power alone.

All of us know the depth of bitterness that has made the dispute between Israel and its neighbors so painful and intractable. Yet, in the conflict just concluded, Israel and many of the Arab states have for the first time found themselves confronting the same aggressor. By now, it should be plain to all parties that peacemaking in the Middle East requires compromise ... We must do all that we can to close the gap between Israel and the Arab states and between Israelis and Palestinians. The tactics of terror lead absolutely nowhere. There can be no substitute for diplomacy.

A comprehensive peace must be grounded in United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and the principle of territory for peace. This principle must be elaborated to provide for Israel's security and recognition and at the same time for legitimate Palestinian political rights. Anything else would fail the twin test of fairness and security. The time has come to put an end to Arab-Israeli conflict.

The war with Iraq is over. The quest for solutions to the problems of Lebanon, in the Arab-Israeli dispute and in the Gulf must go forward with new vigor and determination. And I guarantee you, no one will work harder for a stable peace in the region than we will.

Fourth, we must foster economic development for the sake of peace and progress. The Persian Gulf and Middle East form a region rich in natural resources—with a wealth of untapped human potential. Resources once squandered on military might must be redirected to more peaceful ends ... Now, the challenge is to reach higher-to foster economic freedom and prosperity for all the people of the region.

By meeting these four challenges we can build a framework for peace. I've asked Secretary of State Baker to go to the Mideast to begin the process. He will go to listen, to probe, to offer suggestions—to advance the search for peace and stability. I've also asked him to raise the plight of the hostages held in Lebanon. We have not forgotten them and we will not forget them ...

Until now, the world we've known has been a world divided—a world of barbed wire and concrete block, conflict and Cold War.

Now, we can see a new world coming into view. A world in which there is the very real prospect of a new world order. In the words of Winston Churchill, a world order in which "the principles of justice and fair play protect the weak against the strong..." A world where the United Nations—freed from Cold War stalemates—is poised to fulfill the historic vision of its founders. A world in which freedom and respect for human rights finds a home among all nations.

The Gulf war put this new world to its first test. And, my fellow Americans, we passed that test.

For the sake of our principles for the sake of the Kuwaiti people we stood our ground. Because the world would not look the other way, Ambassador Al-Sabah, tonight, Kuwait is free. And we're very happy about that.

I'm sure that many of you saw on the television the unforgettable scene of four terrified Iraqi soldiers surrendering. They emerged from their bunker—broken, tears streaming from their eyes, fearing the worst. And then there was an American soldier. Remember what he said? He said: "It's okay. You're all right now. You're all right now.

That scene says a lot about America—a lot about who we are ... We are a good peoples—a generous people. Let us always be caring and good and generous in all we do ...