Bush: ‘Withdraw Without Condition’

Here is the text of President Bush’s remarks Friday about Iraq’s offer to withdraw from Kuwait:

When I first heard that statement, I must say I was happy that Saddam Hussein had seemed to realize that he must now withdraw unconditionally from Kuwait, in keeping with the relevant United Nations resolutions. Regrettably, the Iraq statement now appears to be a cruel hoax, dashing the hopes of the people in Iraq, and indeed, around the world.

It seems that there was an immediate celebratory atmosphere in Baghdad after this statement, and this reflects, I think, the Iraqi people’s desire to see the war end, a war the people of Iraq never sought.

Not only was the Iraq statement full of unacceptable old conditions, but Saddam Hussein has added several new conditions. And we’ve been in touch with members of the coalition, and they recognize that there is nothing new here, with the possible exception of recognizing for the first time that Iraq must leave Kuwait.

Let me state once again, they must withdraw without condition. There must be full implementation of all the Security Council resolutions. And there will be no linkage to other problems in the area, and the legitimate rulers of Kuwait must be returned to Kuwait.

Until a massive withdrawal begins, with those Iraqi troops visibly leaving Kuwait, the coalition forces, acting under United Nations Resolution 678, will continue their efforts to force compliance with all the resolutions of the United Nations.

But there’s another way for the bloodshed to stop, and that is for the Iraqi military and the Iraqi people to take matters into their own hands, to force Saddam Hussein, the dictator, to step aside, and to comply with the United Nations resolutions and then rejoin the family of peace-loving nations.

We have no argument with the people of Iraq. Our differences are with Iraq’s brutal dictator. And the war, let me just assure you all, is going on schedule. Of course, all of us want to see the war ended soon and with a limited loss of life. And it can, if Saddam Hussein would comply unconditionally with these U.N. resolutions and do now what he should have done long, long ago.

So I’m sorry that after analysis and reading the statements out of Baghdad in their entirety, there is nothing new here. It is a hoax. There are new demands added. And I feel very sorry for the people in Iraq, and I feel sorry for the families in this country who probably felt as I did this morning when they heard the television, that maybe we really had a shot for peace today. But that’s not the case, and we will continue. We will pursue our objectives with honor and decency, and we will not fail.