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.”

“Saddam's ouster will not necessarily lead to the same result, since Iraq lacks democratic traditions. Democracy doesn't just consist of holding elections.”

“The Europeans must finally understand the incredible shock triggered by the attacks of September 11.”

“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.”

“My point was that removing Saddam should not have been our highest priority. Fighting terrorism should have been our number one concern, followed by the Palestinian peace process.”

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

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

“So far the changes in the president in his second term have been mainly of a rhetorical nature.”

“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.”

“We must find out where the roots of terrorism lie.”

“But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism.”

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

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

“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.”

“The radical elements in Islam are very dangerous.”

“Europeans are familiar with terrorism and violence. We have not experienced a true conflict on our soil in a hundred years, and especially not one that involved 3,000 dead.”

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

“I'm afraid that the United States is more isolated today than at any other time in my memory.”

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

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