Excerpt from ChannelNewsAsia.com
US President George Bush said late Wednesday (early Thursday in Middle East and Asia) that he had launched war against Iraq, promising a "broad and concerted campaign" to disarm Baghdad and topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
"My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger," he said in a televised address to the nation.
"On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war," he said in a short speech.
Speaking from the White House Oval Office, he commented that, "These are opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign."
He said that 35 countries were helping the US either through contributing troops or supplying intelligence or bases for US forces.
He also claimed that the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein will use women, children and men as human shields to protect his troops.
"In this conflict, America faces an enemy who has no regard for the conventions of war or rules of morality," he added.
"I want Americans and all the world to know that coalition forces will make every effort to spare civilians from harm," he said.
President Bush attempted to tamp down some of the bravado that has emerged within the US that the Iraqi army won't fight and the war will be over swiftly.
"A campaign on the harsh terrain of a nation as large as California could be longer and more difficult than some predict," warning that it may not necessarily be a short war.
He said the US has respect both for the Iraqi people and its culture as well as its religion. He added that the US's only goal is to free the people of Iraq from Saddam Hussein's regime and to restore the country to the control of the Iraqi people.
US President George Bush said late Wednesday (early Thursday in Middle East and Asia) that he had launched war against Iraq, promising a "broad and concerted campaign" to disarm Baghdad and topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
"My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger," he said in a televised address to the nation.
"On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war," he said in a short speech.
Speaking from the White House Oval Office, he commented that, "These are opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign."
He said that 35 countries were helping the US either through contributing troops or supplying intelligence or bases for US forces.
He also claimed that the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein will use women, children and men as human shields to protect his troops.
"In this conflict, America faces an enemy who has no regard for the conventions of war or rules of morality," he added.
"I want Americans and all the world to know that coalition forces will make every effort to spare civilians from harm," he said.
President Bush attempted to tamp down some of the bravado that has emerged within the US that the Iraqi army won't fight and the war will be over swiftly.
"A campaign on the harsh terrain of a nation as large as California could be longer and more difficult than some predict," warning that it may not necessarily be a short war.
He said the US has respect both for the Iraqi people and its culture as well as its religion. He added that the US's only goal is to free the people of Iraq from Saddam Hussein's regime and to restore the country to the control of the Iraqi people.
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