[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 52 (Monday, December 28, 1998)]
[Pages 2513-2514]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Address to Arab Nations

December 19, 1998

    Thank you for this opportunity to address America's friends 
throughout the Arab and the entire Islamic world. I want to explain why 
we have taken military action against Saddam Hussein, and why we believe 
this action is in the interests of the Iraqi people and all the people 
of the Middle East.
    Saddam has ruled through a reign of terror against his own people 
and disregard for the peace of the region. His war against Iran cost at 
least half a million lives over 10 years. He gassed Kurdish civilians in 
northern Iraq. In 1990 his troops invaded Kuwait, executing those who 
resisted, looting the country, spilling tens of millions of gallons of 
oil into the Gulf, firing missiles at Saudi Arabia, Bahrain,

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Israel, and Qatar. He massacred thousands of his own people in an 
uprising in 1991.
    As a condition for the Gulf war cease-fire, Iraq agreed to disclose 
and to destroy its weapons of mass destruction and to demonstrate its 
willingness to live at peace with its neighbors. Iraq could have ended 
economic sanctions and isolation long ago by meeting these simple 
obligations. Instead, it has spent nearly 8 years defying them. Saddam 
has failed to disclose information about his weapons arsenal. He has 
threatened his neighbors and refused to account for hundreds of Kuwaitis 
still missing from 1991.
    Each time Saddam has provoked a crisis, we've tried hard to find a 
peaceful solution, consulting our friends in the Arab world and working 
through the United Nations. A month ago we joined the other 14 members 
of the U.N. Security Council in demanding that Saddam come into 
compliance immediately. We supported what Iraq said it wanted: a 
comprehensive review of its compliance after it resumed full cooperation 
with the U.N. weapons inspectors. And we were gratified when eight Arab 
nations, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, 
and Oman, warned that Iraq would bear the blame--Iraq alone would bear 
the blame for the consequences of defying the U.N.
    Now, I canceled a military strike when, at the last moment, Saddam 
promised to cooperate unconditionally with the inspectors. But this 
month he broke his promises again, and again defied the U.N. So, we had 
to act. Saddam simply must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or 
the world with nuclear arms, poison gas, or biological weapons.
    America understands that Saddam's first victims are his own people. 
That is why we exempted food and medicine when sanctions were imposed on 
Iraq. That is why, since 1991, we have offered to allow Iraq to sell its 
oil and use the proceeds to pay for humanitarian supplies. For 5 years, 
Saddam rejected that offer while building lavish palaces for himself and 
diverting resources to his military.
    Finally, in 1996, Saddam allowed the oil-for-food program to take 
effect. Since then, the U.N. has delivered nearly $3 billion worth of 
food and medicine to the Iraqi people every year. Without the watchful 
eye of the U.N., we would soon see the oil-for-food program become oil-
for-tanks, leading to less food for the Iraqi people and more danger for 
Iraq's neighbors.
    No decision to use force is easy, especially at a time when I'm 
working so hard to build peace in the Middle East and to strengthen our 
own relations with the Arab world. My visit to Gaza last week reflected 
my deep commitment to the peace process. I will never forget the warm 
welcome I received from the Palestinian people, eager to shape their own 
future at last.
    Let me also state my deep respect for the holy month of Ramadan. In 
the days ahead, I hope all Muslims will consider America's sincere 
desire to work with all people in the Middle East to build peace. We 
have the most profound admiration for Islam. Our dispute is with a 
leader who threatens Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
    As the crescent moon rises, and the ninth month begins, Muslim-
Americans--and all Americans--wish you the blessings of faith and 
friendship. May our prayers for a better world soon be answered.
    Ramadan Kareem.

Note: This address was videotaped at approximately 12:20 p.m. in the 
Cabinet Room on December 18 for later broadcast on the U.S. Information 
Agency Worldnet. The transcript was made available by the Office of the 
Press Secretary on December 18 but was embargoed for release until 7 
a.m. on December 19. A tape was not available for verification of the 
content of this address.