Saddam Hussein's speech to his nation this morning claimed that the Zionists are the force behind the American attack. He concluded his talk with the call, "Long live Iraq, long live Palestine."
President Bush said after the attack began, "Now that conflict has come, the only way to limit its duration is to apply decisive force. And I assure you: this will not be a campaign of half-measures, and we will accept no outcome but victory." Interestingly, for the past 2.5 years, the United States strongly pressured Israel against using a similar policy in the conflict forced upon it. "We urge restraint" was a constant State Department refrain.
Former MK Moshe Arens, who served as Israel's Defense Minister during Gulf War I, said that US President Bush seems to be determined to get rid of Saddam this time, as opposed to his father during the previous Gulf War. "We, too, are more prepared than we were then," Arens told Arutz-7 today. "I don't know from where Bush got this determination that we see on his face - I don't know if he has simply learned the lesson, or if it's his character, or if he just has a realistic vision of the danger of Saddam for what it is - a danger to the entire world. Whatever it is, it looks like it will be translated into actions."
Arens said that he is not worried about Israel being dragged into this war:
"The chances of missiles being fired away are very small, but even if they are - we have the Arrow [Israel's anti-missile system]." When told that the Patriot had intercepted only one of several Scuds fired at Kuwait today, Arens said, "That's the Patriot, but I'm talking about the Arrow! I don't think it's 100% accurate, but pretty close to it." Arens was one of the prime backers of the Arrow project, in the face of many opponents and budgetary difficulties.
President Bush said after the attack began, "Now that conflict has come, the only way to limit its duration is to apply decisive force. And I assure you: this will not be a campaign of half-measures, and we will accept no outcome but victory." Interestingly, for the past 2.5 years, the United States strongly pressured Israel against using a similar policy in the conflict forced upon it. "We urge restraint" was a constant State Department refrain.
Former MK Moshe Arens, who served as Israel's Defense Minister during Gulf War I, said that US President Bush seems to be determined to get rid of Saddam this time, as opposed to his father during the previous Gulf War. "We, too, are more prepared than we were then," Arens told Arutz-7 today. "I don't know from where Bush got this determination that we see on his face - I don't know if he has simply learned the lesson, or if it's his character, or if he just has a realistic vision of the danger of Saddam for what it is - a danger to the entire world. Whatever it is, it looks like it will be translated into actions."
Arens said that he is not worried about Israel being dragged into this war:
"The chances of missiles being fired away are very small, but even if they are - we have the Arrow [Israel's anti-missile system]." When told that the Patriot had intercepted only one of several Scuds fired at Kuwait today, Arens said, "That's the Patriot, but I'm talking about the Arrow! I don't think it's 100% accurate, but pretty close to it." Arens was one of the prime backers of the Arrow project, in the face of many opponents and budgetary difficulties.