This Will Not Stand, 1989–1991

Siracusa, Joseph M.; Visser, Laurens J.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-30163-7_2

Joseph M. Siracusa⁵ &
Laurens J. Visser⁵

Part of the book series: The Evolving American Presidency ((EAP))

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Abstract

In 1989, George H. W. Bush was elected the 41st president of the United States. Understanding his election as a sign of continuity in American domestic politics, Bush sought to maintain policies. However, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1991 challenged the international status quo. Bush’s hesitancy in addressing a budget crisis in Congress also threatened his steady policy course and challenged his domestic leadership. Bush’s domestic problems emerged from his primary concern that Saddam Hussein’s capabilities matched his intentions and that by prolonging and engaging a domestic campaign to bring Congress onto his side, US national security would be put unnecessarily at risk.

July 24 ^th [1990]: If I didn’t have this budget deficit problem hanging over my head, I would be loving this job …

—George H. W. Bush (All The Best, George Bush: My Life in Letters and Other Writings [A Lisa Drew Book: Scribner, 1999], 475)

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Notes

1.
George J. Church, “A tale of two Bush’s,” Time Magazine, January 7, 1991.
2.
George H. W. Bush, New Year’s Messages of President Reagan and President Mikhail Gorbachev, January 1, 1989.
3.
George H. W. Bush, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1989.
4.
Ibid.
5.
Ibid.
6.
Ibid.
7.
Ibid.
8.
Ibid.
9.
“Now the Hard Part on poison gas,” New York Times, January 12, 1989; Michael Gordon, “Paris conference condemns the use of chemical arms,” New York Times, January 12, 1989.
10.
Richard Cohen, “Getting away with Genocide,” Washington post, March 14, 1989.
11.
Ibid.
12.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks and a question and answer session at a white house luncheon for journalists, March 31, 1989.
13.
Patrick Tyler, “Iraq pursues politics of pragmatism,” Washington Post, May 13, 1989.
14.
James A. Baker III, Address to the American Israel Public Affairs conference, May 22, 1989. Available at http://www.c-span.org/video/?7683-1/american-israel-public-affairs-part-2
15.
James Baker III; Thomas M. DeFrank, The Politics of Diplomacy: Revolution, War and Peace, 1989–1992, (G.P. Putman’s Sons: New York, 1995), 121.
16.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks to Citizens in Hamtramck, Michigan, April 17, 1989.
17.
George H. W. Bush, The President’s News Conference, June 5, 1989.
18.
Ibid.
19.
John Broder; Robin Wright, “Iraqis seeking to ‘neutralize’ Kurds, US says,” Los Angeles Times, July 12, 1989.
20.
George H. W. Bush, Address to the 44th Session of the United Nations, September 25, 1989.
21.
Ibid.
22.
Laura Colby, “Scandal swirling around a bank in Italy widens,” Wall Street Journal, August 6, 1989; Alan Riding, “Italian Bank’s unauthorised credits to Iraq,” New York Times, August 7, 1989.
23.
William Safire, “Free the Kurds,” New York Times, November 23, 1989.
24.
“The Lavoro scandal,” New York times, November 30, 1989.
25.
Thomas Lippman, “4 Arab states seen in position to reclaim world oil control,” Washington Post, October 23, 1989.
26.
Ibrahim Youssef, “OPEC is back and feeling flush,” New York Times, October 24, 1989.
27.
Reuters, “OPEC seeks Kuwait and Emirate Oil Cut,” New York Times, November 25, 1989.
28.
“The Iraqi Breakout,” Wall Street Journal, December 13, 1989.
29.
George H. W. Bush, The President’s News Conference, January 25, 1990.
30.
Norman A. Graebner, Richard Dean Burns, Joseph M. Siracusa, in Reagan, Bush, Gorbachev: Revisiting the End of the Cold War, emphasize the secondary role of the Middle East to the Reagan and Bush administrations and the end of the Cold War. Reagan establishes early in his first term that the strategic value in the Middle East resided in its status quo, thereby ensuring that so long as the region remained stable no involvement was necessary. As for priority in the region, Secretary of State Alexander Haig was clear in 1981 that the Arab world considered Palestinian autonomy a more serious threat to regional peace than any possible Soviet expansionism, despite looking for a consensus among Arab states that the Soviet Union was the greater threat (17). As a consequence of these attitudes, Bush carried a commitment to stability into his own presidency that ensured both eyes fixed firmly, and solely, on the Soviet Union. See Norman A. Graebner, Richard Dean Burns, Joseph M. Siracusa, Reagan, Bush, Gorbachev: Revisiting the End of the Cold War (Praeger Security International, 2008).
31.
George H. W. Bush, Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the States of the Union, January 31, 1990.
32.
Ibid.
33.
Ibid.
34.
Paul Wolfowitz, “Shaping the Future: Planning at the Pentagon, 1989–1993” in Ed. Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro, In Uncertain Times: American Foreign Policy after the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11 (Cornell University Press), 51.
35.
Stephen Engelberg, “The U.S. and Panama: The Military; Pentagon looks for ways to stave off Budget Cuts,” New York Times, September January 9, 1990.
36.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks and a question and answer session at a luncheon hosted by the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, California, February 7, 1990.
37.
Ibid.
38.
Ibid.
39.
James Tanner, “After the War: Iraq is fast rebuilding its ravaged oil trade into a world leader,” Wall Street Journal, January 8, 1990.
40.
AP, “Iraqi Army is accused of attacking civilians,” New York Times, January 31, 1990.
41.
Alan Cowell, “Rights Group assails Iraq for ‘Ruthless’ Repression,” New York Times, February 11, 1990.
42.
William Safire, “Mr Bush again ignores an atrocity,” New York Times, March 19, 1990.
43.
Ibid.
44.
George H. W. Bush, Statement on the Seizure of Nuclear Weapon Components shipments to Iraq, March 28, 1990.
45.
Norman Kempster, “State Dept. seeks to blunt attacks on Iraq,” Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1990.
46.
James Baker, The Politics of Diplomacy, 268.
47.
Ibid.
48.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks and an Exchange with reporters aboard Air Force One, April 3, 1990.
49.
Ibid.
50.
William Safire, “Country of Concern,” New York Times, April 9, 1990.
51.
A.M. Rosenthal, “We are warned,” New York Times, April 5, 1990.
52.
Jim Hoagland, “Soft on Saddam,” Washington Post, April 10, 1990.
53.
James Baker, The Politics of Diplomacy, 269.
54.
S.2480—A bill to restrict United States assistance for the Republic of Iraq until that country opens to international inspection sites suspected of being involved in the production of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and ratifies the Convention on Biological Weapons. 101st Congress (1989–1990), introduced 20/4/1990.
55.
James Baker, The Politics of Diplomacy, 270.
56.
S.195—Chemical and Biological Weapons Control Act of 1989101st Congress (1989–1990), introduced 25/1/1990.
57.
William Safire, “Iraq’s U.S. Support,” New York Times, May 4, 1990.
58.
Karen Elliot House, “Dictator Speaks: Iraqi President Hussein sees New Mideast War unless America Acts,” Wall Street Journal, June 28, 1990.
59.
Ibid.
60.
Ibid.
61.
Ibid.
62.
James Baker, The Politics of Diplomacy, p 268.
63.
Ibid.
64.
Bob Woodward, The Commanders (Simon and Schuster, 1991), 210.
65.
“Stay Iraq’s Scimitar, together,” New York Times, July 26, 1990.
66.
Gerald Seib, “U.S. edges perilously close to a bid to influence Middle East Oil Politics,” Wall Street Journal, July 30, 1990.
67.
Guy Gugliotta, “Trade sanctions voted by Senate Against Iraq,” Washington Post, July 28, 1990.
68.
James Baker, The Politics of Diplomacy, 273.
69.
Paul Wolfowitz, “Shaping the Future: Planning at the Pentagon, 1989–1993”, 54.
70.
Richard Haass, War of necessity, War of Choice: A memoir of two Iraq wars, (Simon and Schuster, 2009), 60.
71.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks and an exchange with reporters on the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, August 2, 1990.
72.
Ibid.
73.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks at the Aspen Institute Symposium in Aspen Colorado, August 2, 1990.
74.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks and a Question and Answer Session with reporters in Aspen, Colorado, Following a meeting with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, August 2, 1990.
75.
Ibid.
76.
Although Bush did not have the opportunity to redefine US defense policy in August 1990, the war with Iraq in January 1991 demonstrated numerous revolutionary aspects of US military power—many of which were displayed in the war against Iraq in 2003. See Keith L. Shimko, The Iraq Wars and America’s Military Revolutions (Cambridge University Press, 2010).
77.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks and an exchange with Reporters on the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, August 5, 1990.
78.
Ibid.
79.
Bob Woodward, The Commanders, 261.
80.
George H. W. Bush, Address to the Nation announcing the Deployment of United States Armed Forces to Saudi Arabia, August 8, 1990.
81.
Ibid.
82.
Ibid.
83.
George H. W. Bush, The President’s Press Conference, August 8, 1990.
84.
Ibid.
85.
Ibid.
86.
James Schlesinger, “Innocence Shattered,” Washington Post, August 5, 1990.
87.
Les Aspin, “Define our goals in the Gulf,” Washington Post, August 10, 1990.
88.
Henry Kissinger, “U.S. has crossed its Mideast Rubicon,” Los Angeles Times, August 19, 1990.
89.
Ibid.
90.
Alfonse D’Amato, “Next step in the gulf should the U.S. attack Iraq? Yes,” New York Times, August 24, 1990.
91.
Terry Stanford, “Next Step in the gulf should the U.S. attack Iraq? No,” New York Times, August 24, 1990.
92.
George H. W. Bush, The President’s News Conference, August 14, 1990.
93.
Paul Gigot, “Newt Gingrich fights against the Axis powers,” Wall Street Journal, August 24, 1990.
94.
Michael Oreskes, “Poll on troop move shows support (and anxiety),” New York Times, August 12, 1990.
95.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks at a White House briefing for members of Congress on the Persian Gulf Crisis, August 28, 1990.
96.
Nick Williams Jr., “US congressmen in Gulf reiterate intent to drive Iraq out of Kuwait,” Los Angeles Times, September 2, 1990; Nick Williams Jr., “US Senators advise patience, say time is on U.S. allies’ side,” Los Angeles Times, September 3, 1990.
97.
George H. W. Bush, Address before a joint session of the Congress on the Persian Gulf Crisis and the Federal Budget Deficit, September 11, 1990.
98.
Ibid.
99.
Claiborne Pell, “Let Congress Decide about war in the Gulf,” Washington Post, September 16, 1990.
100.
Robert Shogan, “Democrats plan to attack Bush on Home Front,” Los Angeles Times, September 15, 1990.
101.
H.J.Res.658—United States Policy on Iraqi Aggression Resolution, 1/10/1990.
102.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks announcing a federal budget agreement, September 30, 1990.
103.
George H. W. Bush, Address to the nation on the Federal Budget Agreement, October 2, 1990.
104.
George H. W. Bush, The President’s news conference on the Federal budget crisis, October 6, 1990.
105.
Michael Oreskes, “Poll finds strong support for Bush’s goals, but reluctance to start a war,” New York Times, October 1, 1990.
106.
James Gerstenzang; David Lauter, “Popularity of Bush Plummets to 55% in poll,” Los Angeles Times, October 9, 1990.
107.
David Broder, “An Absence of Guiding Principle,” Washington Post, October 12, 1990.
108.
George H. W. Bush, Remarks on the Federal Budget Agreement and an Exchange with Reporters in Honolulu, Hawaii, October 27, 1990.
109.
Ibid.
110.
Richard Haass, War of Necessity, War of Choice, 95.
111.
George H. W. Bush, Exchange with Reporters in San Francisco, California, October 29, 1990.
112.
Thomas Friedman, “Bush and Baker Explicit in Threat to use force,” New York Times, October 30, 1990.
113.
Gerald Seib, “Threat of War with Iraq Brings to fore old Battle between President, Congress,” Wall Street Journal, October 31, 1990.
114.
James Baker, The Politics of Diplomacy, 303.
115.
George H. W. Bush, The President’s News Conference in Orlando, Florida, November 1, 1990.
116.
Ibid.
117.
Ibid.
118.
George H. W. Bush, The President’s News Conference on the Persian Gulf Crisis, November 8, 1990.
119.
Ibid.
120.
Richard Haass, War of Necessity, War of Choice, 99.
121.
Ibid.
122.
George H. W. Bush, Letter to Congressional Leaders on the Deployment of Additional United States Armed Forces to the Persian Gulf, November 16, 1990.
123.
Susan Rusky, “Congress asks what it should do in the Gulf, and how,” New York Times, November 18, 1990.
124.
Michael Gordon, “2 ex-military chiefs urge Bush to delay Gulf War,” New York Times, November 29, 1990.
125.
Ibid.
126.
George H. W. Bush, “Why We are in the Gulf”, Newsweek, November 26, 1990.
127.
Ibid.
128.
Ibid.
129.
John Mueller, in his book Policy and Opinion in the Persian Gulf, stresses that demonizing Saddam Hussein was central to Bush’s efforts to convince the American people that war with Iraq was necessary. However, Mueller explains that by focusing on Saddam Hussein, Bush inadvertently made the Iraqi leaders removal a central expectation from the American people. Although Bush would continue to clarify that the liberation of Kuwait was the objective of a military confrontation with Iraq, Mueller points to polls that show public opinion leaning toward to ouster of Saddam Hussein as a core objective to any military conflict in the Persian Gulf. John Mueller, Policy and Opinion in the Gulf War (The University of Chicago Press, 1994).
130.
Michael Ross, “Democrats put line in the Sand on Bush policy,” Los Angeles Times, November 28, 1990.
131.
George H. W. Bush, The President’s press conference, November 30, 1990.
132.
Ibid.
133.
Ibid.
134.
Ibid.
135.
“A weak case for war in the Gulf,” New York Times, December 2, 1990.
136.
George Wilson, “Dealing with Saddam in the Shadow of Vietnam,” Los Angeles Times, December 2, 1990.
137.
R.W. Apple Jr., “The Collapse of a Coalition,” New York Times, December 6, 1990.
138.
Ibid.
139.
R.W. Apple Jr., “Bush told to listen to voices of Dissent,” New York Times, December 7, 1990.
140.
Alexander Haig, “Gulf Analogy: Munich or Vietnam,” New York Times, December 10, 1990.
141.
Walter Goodman, “Senate Hearings on Iraq as a TV drama,” New York Times, December 13, 1990.
142.
George H. W. Bush, Exchange with reporters prior to a meeting with hostages, December 13, 1990.
143.
Michael Oreskes, “Poll finds American Divided on sanctions or force in Gulf,” New York Times, December 14, 1990.
144.
Richard Haass, War of Necessity, War of Choice, 106.
145.
George H. W. Bush, Statement on a proposed Meeting between Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz of Iraq and Secretary of State James A. Baker III, January 3, 1991.
146.
Richard Haass, War of Necessity, War of Choice, 110.
147.
George H. W. Bush, Radio Address to the Nation on the Persian Gulf Crisis, January 5, 1991.
148.
Ibid.
149.
Richard Nixon, “Why,” New York Times, January 6, 1991.
150.
Ibid.
151.
Ibid.
152.
Senator Robert Byrd, United States Policy to Reverse Iraq’s Occupation of Kuwait, Congressional Record, January 12, 1991, S359.
153.
Senator Claiborne Pell, War in the Persian Gulf, Congressional Record, January 10, 1991, S125.
154.
Senator Alfonse D’Amato, War Means Death and Destruction, Congressional Record, January 10, 1991, S126.
155.
Representative Tom Foley, The Situation in the Middle East, Congressional Record, January 12, 1991, H442.
156.
Representative Henry Hyde, The Situation in the Middle East, Congressional Record, January 12, 1991, H392.
157.
Representative Schulze, The Situation in the Middle East, Congressional Record, January 11, 1991, H199.
158.
Richard Haass, War of Necessity, War of Choice, 113.
159.
Charles Krauthammer, “War and Public Opinion,” Washington Post, January 11, 1991.
160.
Richard Haas, War of Necessity, War of Choice, 113.

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School of Global Studies, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Joseph M. Siracusa & Laurens J. Visser

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Siracusa, J.M., Visser, L.J. (2020). This Will Not Stand, 1989–1991. In: Going to War with Iraq. The Evolving American Presidency. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30163-7_2

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30163-7_2
Published: 04 December 2019
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