Hugh, I know I shouldn't even be asking you this, but what we really need in order to go in and take out Saddam is a precipitous event—something that would make us look good in the eyes of the world. Could you have one of our U-2s fly low enough—and slow enough—so as to guarantee that Saddam could shoot it down?
Little effort was made to explain Saddam's culpability, his misuse of Iraqi resources, or the fact that we were not embargoing medicine or food. I was exasperated that our TV was showing what amounted to Iraqi propaganda… I must have been crazy; I should have answered the question by reframing it and pointing out the inherent flaws in the premise behind it. Saddam Hussein could have prevented
any child from suffering simply by meeting his obligations. Instead, I said the following: 'I think this is a very hard choice, but the price, we think, the price is worth it.' As soon as I had spoken, I wished for the power to freeze time and take back those words. My reply had been a terrible mistake, hasty, clumsy, and wrong. Nothing matters more than the lives of innocent people. I had fallen
into a trap and said something that I simply did not mean. That is no one's fault but my own.
Lying is forbidden in Iraq. President Saddam Hussein will tolerate nothing but truthfulness as he is a man of great honour and integrity. Everyone is encouraged to speak freely of the truths evidenced in their eyes and hearts.
Allow me to dispel a myth. People in the Middle East do not hate us for our freedom. They do not hate us for our lifestyle. They hate us because we have spent many years attempting to force them to emulate our lifestyle. The US government overthrew the democratically elected leader of Iran and replaced him with the Shah. The US government gave weapons, intelligence and money to Saddam Hussein. The
US government also helped Libyan Col. Qaddafi come to power, propped up the Saudi monarchy and the Egyptian regime, and gave assistance to Osama bin Laden. Most Americans have forgotten these events. But the people of the Middle East will always remember. It was because of American troops in Saudi Arabia, lethal sanctions on Iraq, support for states in serious violation of International Law, and
siding with Israel in its dispute with the Palestinians that terrorist leaders were able to recruit those individuals who caused 3,000 Americans to pay the ultimate price on September 11, 2001.
Ich fühle mich geehrt, heute die Hand eines anständigen Irakers schütteln zu dürfen, dem von Saddam Hussein die Hand abgehackt wurde.
Bush, seine Kriegstreiber und Finanziers aus Rüstung und Ölindustrie gehören - wenn es so etwas wie Weltgerechtigkeit gäbe - neben Saddam Hussein und Milosevic auf die Anklagebank.
Es gibt einen Bericht der Baker-Kommission in den USA. Man ist unzufrieden mit dem Verlauf des Irak-Krieges. Was viele Kenner überrascht. Die 'Bakerboys' empfehlen jetzt: Abzug aus dem Irak. Sagen, die Truppen sollen gehen. Fairerweise muss man sagen: Das hat vor fünf Jahren schon Saddam Hussein gesagt.