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But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism.

Brent Scowcroft

After the ’30s, we said, “no more Munichs.” And it got us in a lot of problems. Then we said, “No more Vietnams.” Now if we say, “No more Iraqs,” the next one won’t be an Iraq. It will be something different. You can’t learn lessons.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Country Different People Vietnam
Since the days of Peter the Great, Russians have been maybe Europeans who didn’t share in the enlightenment and the reformation, or are they Mongol Asians with the European veneer. And they’ve gone back and forth.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Enlightenment Gone Share
My point was that removing Saddam should not have been our highest priority. Fighting terrorism should have been our number one concern, followed by the Palestinian peace process.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Fighting Followed Numbers Terrorism
America wants to work with friends, with allies, with people of good will, to make this a better world.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Better Country World People
If Iraq were to descend into chaos, the Europeans would feel the effects just as much as we would.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Chaos Country Feels People
It’s not for nothing that the Iranians are known as rug merchants. They are.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Countries Known Merchants People
Who is the guarantor, if there is one, of a more stable world? It’s the United States.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Country People United States World
Europeans are familiar with terrorism and violence. We have not experienced a true conflict on our soil in a hundred years, and especially not one that involved 3,000 dead.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Experience Soil Violence Years
Much of what we know about mathematics and trade comes from the Arabs. Then came stagnation, and now they’re the West’s whipping boy. This is a problem that cannot be solved overnight, and certainly not militarily.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Boys Problem West
Progress is only possible if the United States and its allies work together.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Allies Progress Together Working
I don’t think the Chinese look out at the world and want to overturn the system.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Country Looks People System Thinking
Russia right now is searching for its soul. It’s trying to figure out what it really is.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Russia Soul Trying
The Iraqis need help establishing a government. We have to provide them with security.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Government Helping Needs
But, if you believe we should go around the world overturning regimes to make little United States, I don’t agree with that, because I don’t think we’re capable of doing that.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Believe Thinking World
I think America has to do more than be a broker now. Because both the Palestinians are weak and Israel is very weak.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Broke Country People Thinking Weak
Information technology has politicized the world’s population.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Population Technology World
After all, we didn’t bring democracy to Germany in 1945; Hitler destroyed democracy there first.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Country Democracy Firsts People
To sum up, the position we took was that since we didn’t know the internal situation in Iraq nor Saddam Hussein, that our best bet was to take counsel from the people who did know him and who did deal with him.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Country Hussein Internal People Situation
If you look back at the first Gulf war, the Arabs sent forces, they sent money. So their interests in Iraq are clear, but they’re nowhere to be seen now. Why? Because right now, it’s dangerous to be seen as supporting the United States.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Country Money People United States War
The radical elements in Islam are very dangerous.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Community Elements Radical Religion
The radical elements in Islam are very dangerous. They want to achieve a return to the Islamic purity of the Middle Ages.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Age Dangerous Elements Islamic
It is beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein is a menace.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Disputes Hussein Menace
Democracy doesn’t just consist of holding elections.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Consists Democracy Election
Yes, Israel’s our ally. But, are the Palestinians our enemy? No, they are not.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Allies Country Enemy People
America is stronger than any state probably since the Roman Empire. But we can’t do what used to be done with that kind of strength.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Country People Strength Stronger
The art of diplomacy is to take an opportunity and turn it into something.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Art Diplomacy Opportunity
We have not been forthcoming about explaining a security relationship for the region, in which Iran can feel secure and thus maybe willing to do something.
BRENT SCOWCROFT

Explain Forthcoming Region Something

But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism.

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But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism.

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Popular Authors

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