“In the Gulf War of 1991 an attacking force three times the size of the OIF [Operation Iraqi Freedom, launched on March 19, 2003] force was employed to achieve the limited objective of driving Iraqi forces out of tiny Kuwait; however, twelve years later, a comparatively small force was employed on behalf of the much […]
Category: quotes
3/19/2003
“The initial invasion force [in Iraq, on March 19, 2003] consisted of 250,000 American troops, 45,000 from the United Kingdom, and small numbers of troops from Poland, Australia, and Denmark. Over time, 33 other countries contributed troops ranging from Italy and Spain, with peaks of 3,200 and 1,300 troops, respectively, to Iceland with 2.” – […]
3/18/2003
As stated in “The Report of the Iraq Inquiry – Executive Summary”: “286. On the evening of 18 March, the House of Commons passed by 412 votes to 149 a motion supporting ‘the decision of Her Majesty’s Government that the United Kingdom should use all means necessary to ensure the disarmament of Iraq’s weapons of mass […]
3/18/2003
As stated in “The Report of the Iraq Inquiry – Executive Summary”: “328. Challenging Saddam Hussein’s ‘claim’ that he had no weapons of mass destruction, Mr Blair said in his speech on 18 March: -‘… we are asked to believe that after seven years of obstruction and non-compliance … he [Saddam Hussein] voluntarily decided to do […]
3/18/2003
As stated in “The Report of the Iraq Inquiry – Executive Summary:” “294. In his memoir, Mr Blair described his speech opening the debate on 18 March as ‘the most important speech I had ever made’. 295. Mr Blair framed the decision for the House of Commons as a ‘tough’ and ‘stark’ choice between ‘retreat’ and […]
3/18/2003
“On March 18, [2003,] he [Blair] made an impassioned speech to the House of Commons. He argued that force was the only answer to Saddam, saying: “The only persuasive power to which he responds is 250,000 allied troops on his doorstep.” The House of Commons voted for war 412 to 149.” – Andrew Langley, Bush, […]
3/18/2003
“On the night of March 18 [2003], White House press aide Adam Levine fielded a call from [Meet the Press host] Tim Russert. ‘All I can tell you, man,’ NBC’s Washington bureau chief said to him, ‘is you guys better find the WMD.’ Levine replied, ‘You’re telling me.’ Then the Bush aide said, ‘Either that, […]
3/18/2003
As reported by CNN on March 18, 2003, during his speech to announce his resignation in protest of the planned invasion of Iraq, British House of Commons leader Robin Cook stated: ” ‘Iraq probably has no weapons of mass destruction in the commonly understood sense of the term–namely a credible device capable of being delivered […]
3/18/2003
U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair said, while speaking to the House of Commons on July 14, 2004: ” ‘Through all the conversations I had with [chief UN weapons inspector] Hans Blix, he never once suggested to me that Saddam Hussein was complying fully [with UN resolutions to disarm]. He used to say, *Well, he’s co-operating […]
3/18/2003
According to The Wall Street Journal on March 18, 2003: “A cache of documents discovered by U.S. agents in Bosnia in 2002 disclosed a so-called Golden Chain of bin Laden’s top twenty Saudi financial supporters. The list included the families of three billionaire Saudi banking tycoons, several leading industrialists, and one ex-government minister.” – Gerald […]