George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography - Get a Free Blog

On November 15, Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey warned Bush that "to continue to hold
the support of Congress, [Bush] must suspend the newly announced buildup of offensive
forces against Iraq until he justifies why he has downgraded the promising strategy of
patient pressure. Without hearing a convincing explanation of that change, and with the
cost of Operation Desert Shield now heading toward $30 billion, Congress should
authorize no expenditures for an enlarged offensive option to invade Kuwait or Iraq." [fn
64] Bradley had to pay attention to public opinion; he had almost lost his seat earlier in
the month. On the following day, Gorbachov's special envoy to the Middle East,
Yevgeny Primakov, called for a delay in the resolution on the use of force against Iraq to
allow Saddam Hussein a "face-saving" way out. One week later, in the context of the
Paris Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Gorbachov directed his
desperate appeal to the world for food shipments to the USSR. Even if the Kremlin had
wished to resist Bush's war drive, their weakness was evident. The Soviet Union, like
China, would soon vote for the resolution that would justify Bush's January attack.
But the hyperthyroid Bush was unwilling to brook criticism. In best bullying style, he
came to a meeting with Congressional leaders on November 14 with a sheaf of articles
from Iraqi newspapers reporting, among other things, Moynihan's speech of a few days
before. Even Republican Richard Lugar was targetted by Bush's ire. Bush whined that
such statements were giving Saddam reasons to doubt US resolve. On November 16, the
National Council of Churches condemned Bush's Gulf policy, citing "reckless rhetoric,"
"imprudent behavior," and the precipitous military buildup.
James Baker, groping for reasons for the coming war, thought he had found one: "If you
want to sum it up in one word, it's jobs. Because an economic recession, worldwide,
caused by the control of one nation, one dictator, of the West's economic lifeline will
result in the loss of jobs on the part of American citizens." [fn 65] Many citizens were
offended by Baker's patronizing condescension, which was coordinated with Bush's
remarks of the same day in which he admitted that the country was in a "downturn," and
hinted that the depth of any recession would depend on whether or not the Gulf crisis
turned into a prolonged standoff. If recession were to come, said Bush, "it will not be
deep and we will come out of it relatively soon- six months at most." [fn 66]
Commenting on what really concerned him, Bush commented, "holding public opinion
forever is very difficult to do." Bush was not even succeeding in the short term:
Pennsylvania Democratic Chairman Larry Yatch told reporters that support for Bush's
Gulf policy was "at the teetering point-- the people are really becoming skeptical." His
Louisiana counterpart, James J. Brady, noted that Bush " has not given them answers to
their questions." "Jobs are not the reason we are there," he added. [fn 67]
In the House of Representatives, a group of 45 House Democrats went to federal court in
a vain attempt to stop Bush from initating hostilities, and Rep. Gonzalez of Texas, the
honorable maverick, offered a bill of impeachment against Bush.
On November 16, Bush left on a multi-country blitz of Europe and the Middle East which
was intended to shore up the anti-Iraq coalition until the buildup could be completed and
the war unleashed. In Prague, Bush was lionized by large crowds; President Havel gave