Former president George H.W. Bush (right), welcomes Sheikh Ahmad Humood Jaber Al-Sabah, envoy of the Amir of the State of Kuwait during meeting of his administration’s key decision-makers to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the start of military operations to liberate Kuwait from occupation by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Jan 20, in College Station, Texas. January 21, 2011
Liberation great honor of my life
Kuwait lauds Bush courage, vision
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humood Jaber Al-Sabah, Special Envoy of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah late Thursday hailed “the courage and vision of President George Herbert Walker Bush twenty years ago when he decreed that the outrageous aggression against my country would not stand.” Sheikh Ahmad said in a speech he addressed before the celebration hosted by the 41st US President Bush marking the 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the Beginning of Military Operation to Liberate Kuwait that this is “clearly is one of History’s most notable achievements and it will be forever remembered.”
He recalled the memory of the liberation of Kuwait which began twenty years ago with the commencement of Operation Desert Storm, saying “it marked the pinnacle of the Historic relationships between our two countries, a relationship which has endured for over sixty years and was ultimately tested when Saddam Hussein’s forces invaded and occupied Kuwait.”
“Under the leadership of President Bush, the United States of America sought legitimacy for the international coalition by working through the United Nations. The United States did not take the easy path of acting alone without international legal sanction,” he affirmed.
He added that guided by the charter of the United Nations, “American diplomacy inspired not only by President Bush, but also by Secretary of State James Baker, led to the implementation of dozens of UN Security Council resolutions, many under Chapter Seven.”
“The US did not rush to use force, its strategy provided room and time for diplomacy to work. Still there was no hesitance to act boldly after the Iraqi regime rejected all international diplomatic attempts to compel it to withdraw its forces from Kuwait,” he stressed.
“History also records the tireless efforts of President Bush and his Secretary of State James Baker to assemble a historic multinational coalition under UN auspices. The coalition was the broadest and strongest ever put together to enforce UN resolutions,” he remarked.
He indicated that “it truly spanned the world’s nations, and included the full support of countries and organizations in the Middle East region, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.”
He said that the coalition “undertook a major military campaign, Operation Desert Storm against Iraq which ultimately liberated Kuwait,” and that Kuwait’s Air Force “proudly participated in that coalition, flying its fighters from bases in Saudi Arabia.”
On this occasion, Sheikh Ahmad expressed the gratitude of the people and the Government of Kuwait “to the leading and significant role which the peoples and the Governments of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Syria and Morocco played not only in the liberation of my country but also in hosting the Kuwaitis who were forced to leave Kuwait during the occupation.” He affirmed that the result of Bush’s “decisive action not only liberated Kuwait, but laid the basis for the renewal of the Middle East peace process with the convening of the Madrid Conference.”
“The world is a safer place, thanks to Desert Storm and to the strength of the international community’s response to Saddam Hussein’s aggression,” he said.
He added that “there are no words to express the enormous gratitude of the Kuwaiti people for America’s role in leading the international coalition that literally saved our country.” He continued “there is no way to describe the feelings that the people of Kuwait will always have toward the people of the United States for restoring our sovereignty, our country and our human dignity. It is a debt we can never truly repay because it was paid for in part with the sacrifice of American lives.” “Kuwait is deeply grateful to the young men and women of the coalition forces from many nations around the world for the selfless role they played when they were called upon to help save the people of a small faraway nation from the brutal aggression of a ruthless neighbor. Their sacrifice and valor continue today in the distant lands as they fight in the war against the threat of terrorism,” Sheikh Ahmad remarked.
He stressed that Kuwait has “clear reasons to be thankful for Operation Desert Storm, but the truth is it has benefitted all of us here.” He said that Kuwait’s liberation “was not just a restoration of the old order, it led to a new dynamic in our economic, political, social and environmental development.” He added that anyone who has visited the Gulf states recently and has seen “the phenomenal changes that have taken place and talked to the people cannot help but be astounded by the change.” “Certainly oil has played a role in this, but development in the Gulf started well before the surge in oil prices. I am convinced that this has happened, in part because of the courage and sense of renewal the liberation of Kuwait gave all of us,” he affirmed.
Sheikh Ahmad said “our liberation also gave us a new awareness and appreciation for our links to the rest of the region and the world beyond. The participation of so many countries in restoring our freedom made us realize the importance of being part of the international community.
As Kuwaitis, we have no doubt that we are safer, we are more secure and we prosper because of that global partnership, a partnership led by the United States of America.” “Once again, I thank you for the privilege of being with you today to commemorate the start of Operation Desert Storm for the liberation of Kuwait and to especially remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for that purpose,” he said.
He indicated that next month, “as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Kuwait’s liberation, we once again will pay tribute to those who fell in battle and express our eternal gratitude to all those who shared in our liberation.” “Believe me, Kuwait and its people will never forget you. We carry in our hearts what you did for us each and every day,” he affirmed.
For his part, President Bush said in his speech that this is a “historic occasion” as we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the military operations to liberate Kuwait.
Bush took the opportunity to thank his team back then and praised the extraordinary efforts they made for the liberation of Kuwait, recalling what he said back in 1991 on the Desert Storm that “we got this one right.” He affirmed that the American troops got the full support in the battle fields “as they deserved.” “Every international crisis is different of course and the event of 20 years ago presented us with one of the greater moments embodied by history when mankind came together to join in a noble cause,” he stressed,” to liberate Kuwait from a brutal aggression.
He stressed that one of the “greatest” honor of his life was to lead a team and troops “to help shape the momentous events” that led to the liberation of Kuwait.
Also during the event, a seminar was held that included senior officials from the Bush administration as panelists, as well as Amiri Diwan Advisor Mohammad Abdullah Abulhasan.
The panelists, which included former vice-president Dick Cheney, former Secretaries of State James Baker and Colin Powell, National Security Advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush Brent Scowcroft and retired general of the US Marine Corps Walter Boomer, and who all served under the Bush Administration, discussed the coalition that was formed for Kuwait’s liberation war and the coordination taken within the administration on Desert Storm.
They all shed light on Bush’s legacy, saying he was a good listener who was the calmest person in the room in a very tense situation and he is the one who orchestrated and made all the decisions.
They also agreed that the mission did indeed end 20 years ago but its impact will remain for generations to come.
The panelists all affirmed that Desert Storm is an example of the way to go to war diplomatically, politically, military wise and economically.
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/164618/reftab/69/t/Liberation-great-honor-of-my-life/Default.aspx
Liberation great honor of my life
Kuwait lauds Bush courage, vision
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humood Jaber Al-Sabah, Special Envoy of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah late Thursday hailed “the courage and vision of President George Herbert Walker Bush twenty years ago when he decreed that the outrageous aggression against my country would not stand.” Sheikh Ahmad said in a speech he addressed before the celebration hosted by the 41st US President Bush marking the 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the Beginning of Military Operation to Liberate Kuwait that this is “clearly is one of History’s most notable achievements and it will be forever remembered.”
He recalled the memory of the liberation of Kuwait which began twenty years ago with the commencement of Operation Desert Storm, saying “it marked the pinnacle of the Historic relationships between our two countries, a relationship which has endured for over sixty years and was ultimately tested when Saddam Hussein’s forces invaded and occupied Kuwait.”
“Under the leadership of President Bush, the United States of America sought legitimacy for the international coalition by working through the United Nations. The United States did not take the easy path of acting alone without international legal sanction,” he affirmed.
He added that guided by the charter of the United Nations, “American diplomacy inspired not only by President Bush, but also by Secretary of State James Baker, led to the implementation of dozens of UN Security Council resolutions, many under Chapter Seven.”
“The US did not rush to use force, its strategy provided room and time for diplomacy to work. Still there was no hesitance to act boldly after the Iraqi regime rejected all international diplomatic attempts to compel it to withdraw its forces from Kuwait,” he stressed.
“History also records the tireless efforts of President Bush and his Secretary of State James Baker to assemble a historic multinational coalition under UN auspices. The coalition was the broadest and strongest ever put together to enforce UN resolutions,” he remarked.
He indicated that “it truly spanned the world’s nations, and included the full support of countries and organizations in the Middle East region, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.”
He said that the coalition “undertook a major military campaign, Operation Desert Storm against Iraq which ultimately liberated Kuwait,” and that Kuwait’s Air Force “proudly participated in that coalition, flying its fighters from bases in Saudi Arabia.”
On this occasion, Sheikh Ahmad expressed the gratitude of the people and the Government of Kuwait “to the leading and significant role which the peoples and the Governments of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Syria and Morocco played not only in the liberation of my country but also in hosting the Kuwaitis who were forced to leave Kuwait during the occupation.” He affirmed that the result of Bush’s “decisive action not only liberated Kuwait, but laid the basis for the renewal of the Middle East peace process with the convening of the Madrid Conference.”
“The world is a safer place, thanks to Desert Storm and to the strength of the international community’s response to Saddam Hussein’s aggression,” he said.
He added that “there are no words to express the enormous gratitude of the Kuwaiti people for America’s role in leading the international coalition that literally saved our country.” He continued “there is no way to describe the feelings that the people of Kuwait will always have toward the people of the United States for restoring our sovereignty, our country and our human dignity. It is a debt we can never truly repay because it was paid for in part with the sacrifice of American lives.” “Kuwait is deeply grateful to the young men and women of the coalition forces from many nations around the world for the selfless role they played when they were called upon to help save the people of a small faraway nation from the brutal aggression of a ruthless neighbor. Their sacrifice and valor continue today in the distant lands as they fight in the war against the threat of terrorism,” Sheikh Ahmad remarked.
He stressed that Kuwait has “clear reasons to be thankful for Operation Desert Storm, but the truth is it has benefitted all of us here.” He said that Kuwait’s liberation “was not just a restoration of the old order, it led to a new dynamic in our economic, political, social and environmental development.” He added that anyone who has visited the Gulf states recently and has seen “the phenomenal changes that have taken place and talked to the people cannot help but be astounded by the change.” “Certainly oil has played a role in this, but development in the Gulf started well before the surge in oil prices. I am convinced that this has happened, in part because of the courage and sense of renewal the liberation of Kuwait gave all of us,” he affirmed.
Sheikh Ahmad said “our liberation also gave us a new awareness and appreciation for our links to the rest of the region and the world beyond. The participation of so many countries in restoring our freedom made us realize the importance of being part of the international community.
As Kuwaitis, we have no doubt that we are safer, we are more secure and we prosper because of that global partnership, a partnership led by the United States of America.” “Once again, I thank you for the privilege of being with you today to commemorate the start of Operation Desert Storm for the liberation of Kuwait and to especially remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for that purpose,” he said.
He indicated that next month, “as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Kuwait’s liberation, we once again will pay tribute to those who fell in battle and express our eternal gratitude to all those who shared in our liberation.” “Believe me, Kuwait and its people will never forget you. We carry in our hearts what you did for us each and every day,” he affirmed.
For his part, President Bush said in his speech that this is a “historic occasion” as we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the military operations to liberate Kuwait.
Bush took the opportunity to thank his team back then and praised the extraordinary efforts they made for the liberation of Kuwait, recalling what he said back in 1991 on the Desert Storm that “we got this one right.” He affirmed that the American troops got the full support in the battle fields “as they deserved.” “Every international crisis is different of course and the event of 20 years ago presented us with one of the greater moments embodied by history when mankind came together to join in a noble cause,” he stressed,” to liberate Kuwait from a brutal aggression.
He stressed that one of the “greatest” honor of his life was to lead a team and troops “to help shape the momentous events” that led to the liberation of Kuwait.
Also during the event, a seminar was held that included senior officials from the Bush administration as panelists, as well as Amiri Diwan Advisor Mohammad Abdullah Abulhasan.
The panelists, which included former vice-president Dick Cheney, former Secretaries of State James Baker and Colin Powell, National Security Advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush Brent Scowcroft and retired general of the US Marine Corps Walter Boomer, and who all served under the Bush Administration, discussed the coalition that was formed for Kuwait’s liberation war and the coordination taken within the administration on Desert Storm.
They all shed light on Bush’s legacy, saying he was a good listener who was the calmest person in the room in a very tense situation and he is the one who orchestrated and made all the decisions.
They also agreed that the mission did indeed end 20 years ago but its impact will remain for generations to come.
The panelists all affirmed that Desert Storm is an example of the way to go to war diplomatically, politically, military wise and economically.
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/164618/reftab/69/t/Liberation-great-honor-of-my-life/Default.aspx
