Quotes by Brent Scowcroft

About Brent Scowcroft:

Brent Scowcroft is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant General. He was the United States National Security Advisor under U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush. He also served as Military Assistant to President Richard Nixon and as Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs in the Nixon and Ford administrations. He served as Chairman of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005 and assisted President Barack Obama in choosing his national security team.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

To sum up, the position we took was that since we didn't know the internal situation in Iraq nor Saddam Hussein, that our best bet was to take counsel from the people who did know him and who did deal with him.

Brent Scowcroft

America has never seen itself as a national state like all others, but rather as an experiment in human freedom and democracy.

Brent Scowcroft

The UN could help the Iraqi government get on its feet and help the United States withdraw a bit more.

Brent Scowcroft

The Iraqis need help establishing a government. We have to provide them with security.

Brent Scowcroft

It is beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein is a menace.

Brent Scowcroft

But there is scant evidence to tie Saddam to terrorist organizations, and even less to the Sept. 11 attacks.

Brent Scowcroft

Saddam is a familiar dictatorial aggressor, with traditional goals for his aggression.

Brent Scowcroft

But figuring out Saddam Hussein was one our greatest mysteries. He marched to his own drummer and frequently as this unfolded he made decisions which were sometimes inexplicable to us and sometimes didn't look very smart.

Brent Scowcroft

But, if you believe we should go around the world overturning regimes to make little United States, I don't agree with that, because I don't think we're capable of doing that.

Brent Scowcroft

First of all, I think the Saudis are deeply concerned about the collapse of negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians and the resumption of conflict.

Brent Scowcroft

You know, different people are going to react different ways. And I don't think we should be intolerable because people do things a little differently.

Brent Scowcroft

Yes, Israel's our ally. But, are the Palestinians our enemy? No, they are not.

Brent Scowcroft

If Iraq were to descend into chaos, the Europeans would feel the effects just as much as we would.

Brent Scowcroft

After all, we didn't bring democracy to Germany in 1945; Hitler destroyed democracy there first.

Brent Scowcroft

The Iraqi elections were an important first step.

Brent Scowcroft

Many Sunnis, who are still stuck in the Saddam era mindset and believe Iraq belongs to them, are trying to prevent a new country from developing at all.

Brent Scowcroft

The radical elements in Islam are very dangerous.

Brent Scowcroft

We must find out where the roots of terrorism lie.

Brent Scowcroft

Simply killing everyone who is already a terrorist today won't solve the problem.

Brent Scowcroft

Osama bin Laden is going after us to get us out of the region, so he can deal with the regimes that he sees in the region, or replace them with purists.

Brent Scowcroft

Author Bio

  • NameBrent Scowcroft
  • Description9th & 17th United States National Security Advisor
  • BornMarch 19, 1925
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionOfficer; Geopolitician
  • AwardsKnight Commander Of The Order Of The British Empire; Legionnaire Of Legion Of Merit; Presidential Medal Of Freedom; Grand Order Of Merit With Star And Shoulder-Sash; Four Freedoms Award - Freedom From Fear