Brent Scowcroft's Quotes

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.

Saddam's ouster will not necessarily lead to the same result, since Iraq lacks democratic traditions. Democracy doesn't just consist of holding elections.

To sum up, the position we took was that since we didn't know the internal situation in Iraq nor Saddam Hussein, that our best bet was to take counsel from the people who did know him and who did deal with him.

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.

After all, we didn't bring democracy to Germany in 1945; Hitler destroyed democracy there first.

America has never seen itself as a national state like all others, but rather as an experiment in human freedom and democracy.

An idea can be as flawless as can be, but its execution will always be full of mistakes.

But there is scant evidence to tie Saddam to terrorist organizations, and even less to the Sept. 11 attacks.

I'm afraid that the United States is more isolated today than at any other time in my memory.

If Iraq were to descend into chaos, the Europeans would feel the effects just as much as we would.

It is beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein is a menace.

Progress is only possible if the United States and its allies work together.

Saddam is a familiar dictatorial aggressor, with traditional goals for his aggression.

Simply killing everyone who is already a terrorist today won't solve the problem.

So far the changes in the president in his second term have been mainly of a rhetorical nature.

The Europeans must finally understand the incredible shock triggered by the attacks of September 11.

The Iraqi elections were an important first step.

The Iraqis need help establishing a government. We have to provide them with security.

The radical elements in Islam are very dangerous.

The UN could help the Iraqi government get on its feet and help the United States withdraw a bit more.