    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [March 2, 1991]
    [Pages 206-207]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Radio Address to United States Armed Forces Stationed in the Persian
    Gulf Region
    March 2, 1991

        Never have I been more proud of our troops, or more proud to be your
    Commander in Chief. For today, amid prayers of thanks and hope, the
    Kuwaiti flag once again flies high above Kuwait City. And it's there
    because you and your coalition allies put it there.
        Kuwait is liberated. And soon hometowns across America will be
    welcoming back home the finest combat force ever assembled--Army, Navy,
    Coast Guard, Marines, Air Force--the brave men and women of the United
    States of America.
        Saddam Hussein's dreams of dominating the Middle East by the terror
    of a nuclear arsenal and an army of a million men threatened the future
    of our children and the entire world. And the world was faced with a
    simple choice: If international law and sanctions could not remove
    Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, then we had to free Kuwait from Saddam
    Hussein.
        And that's exactly what you did. Throughout 7 long and arduous
    months, the troops of 28 nations stood with you, shoulder to shoulder in
    an unprecedented partnership for peace. Today we thank you, for the
    victory in Kuwait was born in your courage and resolve. The stunning
    success of our troops was the result of superb training, superb
    planning, superb execution, and incredible acts of bravery.
        The Iraqi Army was defeated. Forty-two

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    divisions were put out of action. They lost 3,000 tanks, almost 2,000
    armored vehicles, more than 2,000 artillery pieces. And over half a
    million Iraqi soldiers were captured, defeated, or disarmed. You were as
    good as advertised; you were, indeed, ``Good to go.''
        This is a war we did not seek and did not want. But Saddam Hussein
    turned a deaf ear to the voices of peace and reason. And when he began
    burning Kuwait to the ground and intensifying the murder of its people,
    the coalition faced a moral imperative to put a stop to the atrocities
    in Kuwait once and for all. Boldly, bravely, you did just that. And when
    the rubber met the road, you did it in just 6 weeks and 100 decisive
    hours.
        The evil Saddam has done can never be forgotten. But his power to
    attack his neighbors and threaten the peace of the region is today
    grievously reduced. He has been stripped of his capacity to project
    offensive military power. His regime is totally discredited, and as a
    threat to peace, the day of this dictator is over. And the bottom line
    is this: Kuwait's night of terror has ended.
        Thomas Jefferson said that the price of freedom is eternal
    vigilance. We must remain vigilant to make absolutely sure the Iraqi
    dictator is never, ever allowed to stoke the ashes of defeat into the
    burning embers of aggression. The sacrifice you've already made demands
    nothing less. The sacrifice of those who gave their lives will never be
    forgotten.
        Saddam made many mistakes. But one of the biggest was to
    underestimate the determination of the American people and the daring of
    our troops. We saw in the desert what Americans have learned through 215
    years of history about the difference between democracy and
    dictatorship. Soldiers who fight for freedom are more committed than
    soldiers who fight because they are enslaved.
        Americans today are confident of our country, confident of our
    future, and most of all, confident about you. We promised you'd be given
    the means to fight. We promised not to look over your shoulder. We
    promised this would not be another Vietnam. And we kept that promise.
    The specter of Vietnam has been buried forever in the desert sands of
    the Arabian Peninsula.
        Today, the promise of spring is almost upon us, the promise of
    regrowth and renewal: renewed life in Kuwait, renewed prospects for real
    peace throughout the Middle East, and a renewed sense of pride and
    confidence here at home. And we are committed to seeing every American
    soldier and every allied POW home soon--home to the thanks and the
    respect and the love of a grateful nation and a very grateful President.
        Yes, there remain vital and difficult tests ahead, both here and
    abroad, but nothing the American people can't handle. America has always
    accepted the challenge, paid the price, and passed the test. On this
    day, our spirits are high as our flag, and our future is as bright as
    Liberty's torch. Tomorrow we dedicate ourselves anew, as Americans
    always have and as Americans always will.
        The first test of the new world order has been passed. The hard work
    of freedom awaits. Thank you. Congratulations. And God bless the United
    States of America.

                        Note: The President recorded this address at 9:15
                            a.m., March 1, in his private study at the White
                            House. In his address, he referred to President
                            Saddam Hussein of Iraq. The address was
                            broadcast at noon, March 2, over the Armed
                            Forces Radio Network.