European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 16, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Choice Bush s letter to Saddam Hussein new York times at their meeting in Geneva last week. \ Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii gave the iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz a letter from president George Bush to be passed on to president Saddam Hussein. Aziz read the letter and then refused to accept it saying its tone was inappropriate. Here is the text of the letter As released by the White House. The White House had initially refused to make the text of the letter Public. But it decided to do so,.it said after slightly different versions of the letter had appeared in news reports. Dear or. President. A. A we stand today at the Brink of War Between Iraq and the a world. This is a War that began with your invasion of. Kuwait this is a War that can be ended Only by Iraq s full and unconditional compliance with , Security Council Resolution 678. I am writing you now directly because what is at stake demands that no Opportunity be lost to avoid what would be a certain calamity for the people of Iraq. I am writing As Well because it is said by some that you do not. Understand just How isolated Iraq is  Iraq faces As a result. I am not in a position to judge whether this impression is Correct what i can do though is try in this letter to reinforce what Secretary of state Baker told your foreign minister and eliminate any uncertainty or ambiguity that. Might exist in your mind about where we stand and what we Are prepared to do. The International Community is United in its Call for Iraq. To leave All of Kuwait without condition and without further a delay. This is not simply the policy of the United states it is the position of the world Community As expressed in no less than 12 Security Council resolutions. We prefer a peaceful outcome. However anything less than full compliance with , Security Council Resolution 678 and its predecessors is unacceptable. There can be no Reward for aggression. Nor will there be any. Negotiation. Quot Iraq cannot and will not be Able to hold on to Kuwait or exact a Price for leaving a president Bush photographed shortly after Congress empowered him to use Force in the persian Gulf. Principle cannot be compromised. However by its full compliance Iraq  the Opportunity to rejoin the. International Community. More immediately the iraqi military establishment will escape destruction. But unless you withdraw from Kuwait completely and without condition you will lose  Kuwait. What is at Issue Here is not the future of Kuwait a it will be free it government will be restored but rather the future of Iraq. This Choice is yours to make. The United states will not be separated from its. Coalition partners. Twelve Security Council resolutions .�0 countries providing military units to enforce them Moio than 100 governments complying with sanctions a All highlight the fact that it is not Iraq against the United. States but Iraq against the world. That most Arab and Muslim countries Are arrayed against you As Well should reinforce what i am saying. Iraq cannot and will not be Able to hold on to Kuwait or exact a puce for leaving you May be tempted to find Solace in the diversity of opinion that is american democracy. You should resist any such temptation. Diversity ought not to be confused with division. Nor should you underestimate As Otho s have before you America s will. Iraq is already feeling the effects of the sanctions. Mandated by the United nations. Should War come it will be a far greater tragedy for you and your country let me state too that the United states will not tolerate the use of chemical or biological weapons support of any kind of terrorist actions or the destruction of Kuwait s Oil Fields and installations. The american people would demand the strongest possible response. You and your country will pay a terrible Price if you order  of this sort. A a i write this letter not to threaten but to inform. I do so with no sense of satisfaction for the people of the United states have no quarrel with the people of Iraq. Or. President . Security Council Resolution 670 a establishes the period before Jan. 15 of this year As a Quot pause of Good will Quot so that this crisis May end without a further violence. Whether this pause is used As intended or merely becomes a prelude to further violence is in your hands and yours alone. I Hope you weigh your Choice. Carefully and choose wisely for much will depend upon it iraqis 250-member rubber stamp National Assembly voted by acclamation monday to go to War rather than pull iraqi troops out of Kuwait Saddam Hussein,.speaking before the vote urged iraqis to fight to the death to keep Kuwait which his forces invaded aug. 2 and which he has. Declared to be Iraq s 19th province what Congress voted and rejected Washington Post a divided and solemn Congress has granted president George Bush the authority to wage War against  War making Power thereby Given the White House is the most explicit and sweeping in nearly half a Century. In a tally that reflected the nation s conflict Over How Best to resolve the 5-month-old military showdown in the Gulf the Senate voted 52 to 47, to give Bush the authority he had sought to enforce a United nations deadline for. Iraqi withdrawal. The House of representatives followed voting 250 to 183. Those decisions came last saturday after both houses of Congress rejected democratic proposals to delay War and to continue Bush s original strategy of diplomatic isolation and International economic  House Defeated that Resolution 250 to 183. In the Senate the vote was 53 to 46. A a in a statement moments after the final congressional votes the president said the action unmistakably demonstrated Quot the United states commitment to the International demand for a Complete and unconditional withdrawal of Iraq from  the votes in the House and Senate capped three Days of the most intense and emotional debate seen in the Capitol in Many years. Following Are key provisions of the Resolution approved by the House and Senate on Jan. 12 authorizing president Bush to use Force m the Gull As Well As excerpts from democratic party alternatives that a it Ere rejected authorization for use of military Force against Iraq Resolution. Proposed in the House by reps Stephen j. Sopiarz in v.,.and Robert h Michel Roll. And in the Senate by senators Bob Dole a Kanand Jonn w. Warnerr a the president is authorized subject to subsection b. To use United states armed forces pursuant to United nations Security Council Resolution 678. Before exercising the a Corty granted in subsection athe president Sha l make available to the speaker of the House of representatives and he president pro tempore of the Senate his determination that a the United states has used All appropriate diplomatic and other peaceful Means to obtain compliance by Iraq with the United nations Security Council resolutions cited in subsections and a that those efforts have not peer and would not be successful in obtaining such  Nunn Resolution rejected in the Senate proposed by senators George j Mitchellq Maine and , d. Georgia a. That. The Congress authorizes the use of american military Torco to enforce the United nations economic embargo against Iraq to defend saudi Arabia from direct iraqi attack and to protect american forces in the Region. The Congress believes that continued application i International sanctions and diplomatic efforts to pressure Iraq to leave Kuwait is the Wisest course at turns time and should be sustained but Dees not Rule out declaring War or authorizing the use of Force at a later time should Trot be necessary to achieve the goal of forcing iraqi troops from Kuwait. Hamilton Gepharot Resolution rejected in the House a proposed by reps. Lee h hard Iton. D led. And Richard a . D to that a the Congress Authon Zes corf rued use of american military Loco to enforce the United nations economic embargo against Iraq to defend saudi Arabia from direct iraqi attack and to protect american forces m the  the Congress peeves that com need application of International Sarco ors and diplomatic efforts to pressure Iraq to leave Kuwait s the Wisest course at to its time and should be Sims in red. Wednesday january 16, 1991 the stars and stripes a a a Page 13