美國總統老布什1991年宣布海灣戰爭開始
名人演講稿
PresidentGeorgeBush:
Just2hoursago,alliedairforcesbegananattackonmilitarytargetsinIraqandKuwait.TheseattackscontinueasIeak.Groundforcesarenotengaged.
ThisconflictstartedAugust2ndwhenthedictatorofIraqinvadedasmallandhelpleneighbor.Kuwait--amemberoftheArabLeagueandamemberoftheUnitedNatio--wascrushed;itspeople,brutalized.Fivemonthsago,SaddamHueinstartedthiscruelwaragaitKuwait.Tonight,thebattlehasbeenjoined.
Thismilitaryaction,takeninaccordwithUnitedNatioresolutioandwiththecoentoftheUnitedStatesCongre,followsmonthsofcotantandvirtuallyendlediplomaticactivityonthepartoftheUnitedNatio,theUnitedStates,andmany,manyothercountries.ArableaderssoughtwhatbecameknownasanArabsolution,onlytoconcludethatSaddamHueinwasunwillingtoleaveKuwait.OtherstraveledtoBaghdadinavarietyofeffortstorestorepeaceandjustice.OurSecretaryofState,JamesBaker,heldanhistoricmeetinginGeneva,onlytobetotallyrebuffed.Thispastweekend,inalast-ditcheffort,theSecretary-GeneraloftheUnitedNatiowenttotheMiddleEastwithpeaceinhisheart--hissecondsuchmiion.AndhecamebackfromBaghdadwithnoprogreatallingettingSaddamHueintowithdrawfromKuwait.
Nowthe28countrieswithforcesintheGulfareahaveexhaustedallreasonableeffortstoreachapeacefulresolution--havenochoicebuttodriveSaddamfromKuwaitbyforce.Wewillnotfail.
AsIreporttoyou,airattacksareunderwayagaitmilitarytargetsinIraq.WearedeterminedtoknockoutSaddamHuein”snuclearbombpotential.Wewillalsodestroyhischemicalweapofacilities.MuchofSaddam”sartilleryandtankswillbedestroyed.OuroperatioaredesignedtobestprotectthelivesofallthecoalitionforcesbytargetingSaddam”svastmilitaryarsenal.InitialreportsfromGeneralSchwarzkopfarethatouroperatioareproceedingaccordingtoplan.
Ourobjectivesareclear:SaddamHuein”sforceswillleaveKuwait.ThelegitimategovernmentofKuwaitwillberestoredtoitsrightfulplace,andKuwaitwillonceagainbefree.IraqwilleventuallycomplywithallrelevantUnitedNatioresolutio,andthen,whenpeaceisrestored,itisourhopethatIraqwilllivea