But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism. Brent Scowcroft More Quotes by Brent Scowcroft More Quotes From Brent Scowcroft We believe we are creating the beginning of a new world order coming out of the collapse of the US-Soviet antagonisms. Brent Scowcroft creatingnwobelieve Democracy doesn't just consist of holding elections. Brent Scowcroft electiondemocracy An idea can be as flawless as can be, but its execution will always be full of mistakes. Brent Scowcroft executionmistakeideas Everybody is within reach of a television set. And so they're all politicized, and they're all stimulated, and then they have these desires, pleasures, hates, resentments, and so on, and they're reacting instantaneously. Brent Scowcroft hatedesiretelevision Osama bin Laden is going after us to get us out of the region, so he can deal with the regimes that he sees in the region, or replace them with purists. Brent Scowcroft osama-bin-ladendealsregimes A colossal event is upon us, the birth of a New World Order. Brent Scowcroft eventshistoricalorder But there is scant evidence to tie Saddam to terrorist organizations, and even less to the Sept. 11 attacks. Brent Scowcroft sept-11tiesorganization The art of diplomacy is to take an opportunity and turn it into something. Brent Scowcroft diplomacyopportunityart The UN could help the Iraqi government get on its feet and help the United States withdraw a bit more. Brent Scowcroft usagovernmentfeet America has never seen itself as a national state like all others, but rather as an experiment in human freedom and democracy. Brent Scowcroft democracystatesamerica Saddam's ouster will not necessarily lead to the same result, since Iraq lacks democratic traditions. Democracy doesn't just consist of holding elections. Brent Scowcroft electioniraqdemocracy I think America has to do more than be a broker now. Because both the Palestinians are weak and Israel is very weak. Brent Scowcroft israelamericathinking Europeans are familiar with terrorism and violence. We have not experienced a true conflict on our soil in a hundred years, and especially not one that involved 3,000 dead. Brent Scowcroft soilviolenceyears You know, different people are going to react different ways. And I don't think we should be intolerable because people do things a little differently. Brent Scowcroft littlespeoplethinking But, if you believe we should go around the world overturning regimes to make little United States, I don't agree with that, because I don't think we're capable of doing that. Brent Scowcroft believeworldthinking If you look back at the first Gulf war, the Arabs sent forces, they sent money. So their interests in Iraq are clear, but they're nowhere to be seen now. Why? Because right now, it's dangerous to be seen as supporting the United States. Brent Scowcroft united-statesiraqwar Yes, Israel's our ally. But, are the Palestinians our enemy? No, they are not. Brent Scowcroft alliesisraelenemy If Iraq were to descend into chaos, the Europeans would feel the effects just as much as we would. Brent Scowcroft chaosiraqfeels The Iraqi elections were an important first step. Brent Scowcroft importantstepsfirsts After the '30s, we said, "no more Munichs." And it got us in a lot of problems. Then we said, "No more Vietnams." Now if we say, "No more Iraqs," the next one won't be an Iraq. It will be something different. You can't learn lessons. Brent Scowcroft vietnamiraqdifferent
