"♪ If tomorrow all the things were gone ♪" "♪ I'd worked for all my life ♪" "♪ And I had to start again ♪" "♪ With just my children and my wife ♪" "♪ I'd thank my lucky stars ♪" "♪ To be livin' here today ♪" "♪ Because the flag still stands for freedom ♪" "♪ And they can't take that away ♪" "♪ And I'm proud to be an American ♪" "♪ Where at least I know I'm free ♪" "♪ Because there ain't no doubt, I love this land ♪" "♪ God bless the U.S.A. ♪" "The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," "General Colin Powell." "We're all very proud of those Marines and sailors." "We're also proud of the soldiers and the airmen and the Coast Guardsmen, all the G.I.s of our armed forces who showed what this nation is capable of;" "who showed that we stand for something and, yes, we do more than stand for something." "We're willing to fight for something." "America loves them." "America is proud of them, and America thanks them for what they did for the cause of freedom." "I thought Saddam Hussein would realize that we were serious, but he's even dumber than I thought he was because once you send Bob Hope into a theater, it usually means you're serious and we're going to win." "But in the final analysis, it came down to brave, young men and women who were willing to go in harm's way." "Summer, 1990." "America at peace." "A nation at play," "in pursuit of its values and traditions." "After 40 years of Cold War and confrontation with the Soviets," "America was preparing for a peaceful future." "While America looked inward, far off in Iraq, Saddam Hussein was building the fourth largest army in the world" "with weapons supplied by the Soviets and the western alliance." "Ironically, some of the very nations that would confront Saddam in Operation:" "Desert Storm." "Yet, beyond his military power, the depth of Saddam 's brutality was reflected in his repression at home by public hangings and the apocalyptic scenes at Halabja, where he gassed to death over 5,000 Iraqi Kurds in 1988." "In building up his personality cult," "Saddam took a most dangerous gamble when he surprised the world by invading Kuwait on August 2, 1990." "It was a gamble that triggered an immediate response from the United States." "It is not the United States against Iraq." "It is Iraq against the world." "A response which initiated the most massive mobilization and troop buildup since the Vietnam War, with the support of the American people, a combination of new military leadership and high-tech weaponry were brought together to contain" "Saddam 's threat to the world order." "I loves you!" "I love you so much!" "♪ From the lakes of Minnesota ♪" "♪ To the hills of Tennessee ♪" "♪ Across the plains of Texas ♪" "♪ From sea to shining sea ♪" "And across America, a new wave of patriotism swept the nation as American families saw their sons and daughters go off in defense of liberty in order to free the Kuwaiti people and prevent further Iraqi aggression against Saudi Arabia." "♪ And I'm proud to be an American, where at least... ♪" "And the playing fields of America would become empty with the departure of America's sons and daughters." "♪ And I'd gladly stand up ♪" "♪ Next to you and defend her still today ♪" "♪ 'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land ♪" "♪ God bless the U.S.A. ♪" "♪ And I'm proud to be an American ♪" "♪ Where at least I know I'm free ♪" "♪ And I won't forget the men who died ♪" "♪ Who gave that right to me ♪" "♪ And I'd gladly stand up ♪" "♪ Next to you and defend her still today ♪" "♪ Because there ain't no doubt I love this land ♪" "♪ God bless the U.S.A. ♪" "While Americans debated about the tactics of confronting Iraq's aggression, at no time did they deny support for their sons and daughters in uniform." "♪ God bless the U.S.A. ♪" "In August 1990," "America was preparing to confront the aggressor's might in Operation:" "Desert Shield." "George Bush would draw a line in the sand against further Iraqi aggression." "American soldiers would learn from their leaders what America expected of them." "Everybody's recognizing that they probably won't be a war in Europe, something we worried about for 40 years." "Everybody's saying it's going to be a world of peace;" "things are going to be different." "Couldn't be, that in this kind of new world, we still have this kind of an aggressor." "And then, over the last few days of July and then into early August, the first day of August, it became clear that this buildup that was taking place just north of the Kuwaiti border was much too large a buildup simply to be" "a threat or something to scare Kuwait." "But Mr. Hussein was giving assurances to all of his friends and neighbors that, "no, I'm not going to attack,"" "and the next day, he did attack." "In a few short hours, he subjugated a free and independent country by the force of arms." "What you're doing is very important, because it sends a message that this is a new era." "It is a new world." "The United States and Soviet Union are cooperating." "The U.N. is working again, but there are still bad people in the world." "Mr. Hussein, Saddam Hussein, is a bad person, and he's got to understand that kind of aggression can't be tolerated." "One of the great joys I had and it was with a deep sense of pride that when the president called us up to Camp David and I went up with your Commander-In-Chief," "General Schwarzkopf, and we laid out for him what we could do and what our options were and what the Air Force could do and what the Army could do what the Navy could do and what the Marine Corps could do," "what the Coast Guard could do... the great source of pride to me was to know that I wasn't just blowing hot air." "I wasn't just making it up." "I knew what the Armed Forces could do because I know the kind of troops you guys are." "I know the kind of capability you have in your weapons." "I know the kind of capability that exists and the kind of leadership that you have." "I know what you are like because I've seen you at the national training center and I visited the 24th when I was force com commander last year, so I knew what the Armed Forces of the United States could do." "I knew that if the president called on us, we could do just what he asks us to do and do it in short order." "And here, in a matter of 5 weeks and 2 days, we have assembled well over 100,000 soldiers." "Well, well over 100,000 soldiers, sailors and Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen and have put a force in place here in the kingdom and in the other nations around the kingdom that will make it clear to Saddam Hussein" "that he ain't going no further." "The president's put down the marker that working with our other friends," "The United Nations, Soviet Union, around the world, the aggression's going to be stopped and we won't be satisfied until Mr. Hussein takes his army out of Kuwait and lets the Kuwaiti people have their country back." "So you guys are an important part of all that." "You're what makes it possible for the United States to play its role in the world." "Um, I sound like" "I'm giving a speech back here in Washington rather than out here in the Saudi desert, but this is the kind of speech I give back in Washington to let the Congress know and to let the American people" "know the quality, quality of the Armed Forces we have today." "And it's been another source of pride to see how the American people have responded to this over the last 5 or 6 weeks." "Folks just said "Well, maybe they won't be supportive after a few weeks."" "Wrong." "Every passing day, the support increases." ""Maybe Congress will start to be uneasy."" "Wrong." "The secretary and I briefed Congress 2 days ago and every single member of the committee we were preparing before, the Senate Armed Services Committee, supported what we're doing and supported you guys." "Others have said, "Well, it'll be too hot." "It'll be too gritty." "It'll be too dusty out there." "Won't they get hot and tired?"" "Soldiers have always gotten hot and tired!" "But you don't know the kind of soldiers we got!" "You don't know the kind of hoo-ah guys we got, who can take it and keep going." "So don't worry about my boys out there; they'll take it." " Hoo-ah!" " That's right." "Yeah!" "Hoo-ah!" "With that type of leadership and guidance, the troops, the hardware and technology of the new American military was brought to the fore." "With intensive training in desert warfare in both the United States and the Persian Gulf." "First and foremost, the military leadership saw that the only proper response was a massive buildup of U.S. Forces, thus avoiding the mistakes of Vietnam and the polarization of that era." "Operation:" "Desert Shield would afford America the time to build up its troop strength to over half-a-million soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in the Gulf." "While acclimating them to the heat, sand and cold of that region, it took a high level of commitment and sacrifice for America's military men and women to endure the loneliness of a foreign land, away from their families and loved ones." "Some experts would question whether" "America's volunteer military would be strong enough to face down an enemy, battle-hardened by 8 years of bloody war with Iran." "The U.S. forces were supported by a coalition of 27 Arab and other countries, along with America's NATO allies." "Thus, Saddam not only faced American might, but a united, global effort, empowered by the United Nations." "On Thanksgiving, 1990, President and Mrs. Bush journeyed to the Gulf in order to re-enforce America's commitment to confront Saddam 's armies." "General Schwarzkopf, we have a little present for you." "It comes from the families and friends of our troops around the world and it's just exactly your size!" "Here he is!" "Wear it with pride!" "All right, well, Barbara and I" "Barbara and I are very proud to be sharing this Thanksgiving with the men and women of our allied forces, and later we're going to visit your partners in the Army, the Navy and the Coast Guard, Marines, together," "the finest armed forces in the entire world." "We are here because we believe in freedom - our freedom, and the freedom of others." "And we're here because we believe in principle, and we're here because we believe in you." "Earlier this week, I set out the key reasons why we're here." "Making a stand in defense of peace and freedom, and we're to protect freedom, here to protect the future and here to protect innocent lives." "First, freedom together, as 10 United Nation Security Council resolutions made clear, there's a compelling case for your mission." "What we're confronting is a classic bully who thinks he can get away with kicking sand in the face of the world." "And so far, we have acted with restraint as is our way." "But Saddam is making the mistake of his life if he confuses an abundance of restraint and patience with a lack of resolve." "Can't do much about this warm weather, but I hope you're getting enough MREs." "Oh yeah!" "That's a military term meaning I'd rather have a Bud Light." "Now look, look, we know that the days can get pretty long out here and you'll be glad to know that if it goes on too long, we have a secret weapon in reserve." "If push comes to shove, we're gonna get Roseanne Barr to go to Iraq and sing the national anthem." "Time was running out for Saddam Hussein." "He stubbornly refused to heed the order of the United Nations to withdraw from Kuwait." "Jan January 16, 1991." "America and its coalition partners go to war." "I'd like to do that by first reminding you of the military operational objective that we set out to accomplish, and that is simply to eject the Iraqi army from Kuwait." "All of our activities must ultimately support this fundamental military objective." "Of course, when we achieve that objective, we then will be in a position to restore the legitimate government of Kuwait and provide for the security of the region." "I'm not telegraphing anything;" "I just want everybody to know that we have a toolbox that's full of lots of tools, and I brought them all to the party." "General Schwarzkopf has them all at the party." "So, how are we doing with respect to that major operational objective;" "the Iraqi army in Kuwait." "Our strategy to go after this army is very, very simple." "First, we're going to cut it off, and then we're going to kill it." "President Bush unleashed American air power in Operation:" "Desert Storm, the most devastating display of military firepower in the history of man." "Over a 42 day period," "America launched a massive air campaign, flying over 100,000 sorties, the full arsenal of American and allied air power was brought to bear against Saddam 's entrenched forces in both Kuwait and Iraq itself." "Out of the black of night, the unseen, highly sophisticated F-117 Stealth fighters destroyed key Iraqi command and control centers." "The Stealth fighters, F-15 Eagles, F-16 Falcons and the Navy's Tomcats, Hornets, Intruders and Corsairs became part of an air campaign referred to as the Nintendo War." "State-of-the-art Apache helicopters, the slow-flying but devastating A-10 Thunderbolts and naval battleship guns hit Iraqi ground forces." "Meanwhile, thousands of feet above it all were the old and reliable B-52 bombers, pounding away at Iraqi ground targets." "On February 23, the ground war commenced." "Over 200,000 allied troops crossed into Kuwait and Iraqi territory." "Smart weapons like the computerized Tomahawk missiles were tested for the first time in Gulf combat." "Much of the high-tech weapon systems of laser and TV guided bombs and missiles were able to hit their targets with amazing accuracy, while keeping Iraqi civilian losses to a minimum." "With satellites 22,000 miles above the earth and night-vision optics on the ground, the coalition forces were able to see the enemy while Iraqi troops were left in the dark with radar jamming and strikes against their air defenses." "♪ Strange ♪" "♪ How my heart beats ♪" "♪ To find myself ♪" "♪ Upon your shore ♪" "♪ Strange ♪" "♪ How I still feel ♪" "♪ My loss of comfort ♪" "♪ Gone before ♪" "Iraq's once-mighty army would face 100 hours of hell." "In a classic military tactic," "American and coalition forces launched ground attacks that completely overwhelmed" "Saddam 's military machine." "♪ So time is stolen ♪" "♪ I cannot ♪" "♪ Hold you long enough ♪" "♪ And so ♪" "♪ This is where I should be now ♪" "♪ Days and nights falling by ♪" "♪ Days and nights falling by me ♪" "♪ I know of a dream ♪" "♪ I should be holding ♪" "♪ Days and nights... ♪" "On February 27, 1991, Kuwait City is liberated." "Thank you, Bush!" "Thank you, Bush!" "Thank you, Bush!" "The remnants of the Iraqi army are in full retreat." "Thousands surrender as U.S.-led forces pursue the Iraqis toward Baghdad and Basra amid scenes of mass destruction and chaos, impacting on the world's consciousness." "That's it!" "Go, Bravo!" "Let's go, Bravo!" "Awesome, man." "Scattered units of the Iraqi army still posed a threat to the American forces, triggering a coordinated U.S. assault with tanks, aircraft and armor in the final battle of Desert Storm." "This was the ultimate test of combined arms tactics, lending Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine combat power and technology that made for a quick and decisive victory." "While high-tech weaponry got most of the attention, it was the men and women of the U.S. military that made it work." "From the pilots, grunts and technicians to the commanders," "America put forth the best-trained and most motivated force in its history." "While Saddam 's legacy would be death and destruction, the images of Kuwait's burning oil fields would be Dante's Inferno brought into the 21st century." "America and its coalition partners had turned Saddam 's mother of all battles into a major tragedy and disaster for the Iraqi people." "As far as Saddam Hussein being a great military strategist, he is neither a strategist nor is he schooled in the operational arts nor is he a tactician nor is he a general nor is he a soldier." "Other than that, he's a great military man." "I want you to know that." "While some American forces still remain in the Gulf region, the hopes and prayers of a daughter's letter to her father are answered by the return of the men and women of Desert Storm to their home land." "Operation:" "Desert Storm was to become Operation:" "Welcome Home." "Among the first to return were the POWs, warmly welcomed by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and General Colin Powell." "A wave of happiness and pride spread throughout America as thousands of soldiers returned to their loved ones." "Operation:" "Welcome Home was to become America's ultimate victory." " Welcome home." " Thank you very much!" "Thank you for your help!" "It's really good to see you!" "Thank you." "Thank you!" "I saw your picture in the paper the other day." "Welcome home." "It's nice to be here." "Oh, man, nice to see you!" "Thank you very much." "Thank you!" "Welcome back!" "Nice to meet you." "Great, sir, thank you very much." "Thank you very much." "It's wonderful to be here." "Ready?" "Step." "How are you?" "Glad to be here." "How are you doing, ma'am?" " Welcome home!" " Thank you!" "Thank you, sir, good to be home." " Welcome home." " Thank you, ma'am." "Thank you." " Welcome home." " Thank you, sir." "Proud to be a part of this, sir." "We're happy that you're home." "Thank you, sir." "Welcome home." "Nice to meet you, ma'am." "Welcome home." "Thanks for getting us home." "Thanks." "They're looking for you." "Welcome home!" "Welcome home!" "Good to be back, sir." "Sir?" "Delightful to meet you." "Welcome home!" "Thank you very much, ma'am." " Welcome home!" " Thank you, thank you." "Great to be back!" "It's so good to see you." "Welcome home!" " Thank you." " We prayed for you!" "Thank you!" "Pleasure to see you!" "Thank you!" "♪ O'er the land of the free ♪" "♪ And the home of the brave ♪" "For those of you who are a little groggy from last night's flight home, welcome home." "We're delighted to have you all back!" "I can't tell you how proud we are" " of each and every one of you." " Yes, sir!" "And to all our servicemen all across this country, we say "thank you."" "And to the veterans of every conflict, we say "thank you."" "And let's this new spirit in our country give proper recognition to the Vietnam veterans;" "their time has come." "Their return was not to be a reminder of the dark shadows of Vietnam, but a national celebration of joy and patriotism." "Operation:" "Desert Storm exercised the ghost of Vietnam's era, when America only honored the valor and pain of the POWs of that tortured conflict." "Operation:" "Welcome Home brings forth the poignant emotions of the returning World War II veterans." "As with Saddam," "America then faced an evil presence in the Axis powers." "The returning heroes of World War II moved Americans to new heights of happiness and patriotism." "♪ I'm sad the place that always calls to me ♪" "♪ Sometimes I will sigh ♪" "♪ Sometimes I'll just sit and cry ♪" "♪ But I know I'll be back because you see ♪" "♪ There's no place like home ♪" "♪ There's no place like home ♪" "♪ I played there as a kid ♪" "♪ Like my father did ♪" "America's fighters returned to the loving arms of a proud nation, determined to protect freedom at home and throughout the world." "♪ When time has passed ♪" "♪ I hope it lasts ♪" "♪ Everything just goes a little faster ♪" "♪ Well, I know that I've found ♪" "♪ My sacred ground ♪" "♪ And home will never be surpassed ♪" "♪ Home ♪" "♪ Time cannot erase ♪" "♪ Home ♪" "♪ It's the warmest place ♪" "♪ I take it with me everywhere ♪" "♪ It's in my heart, forever ♪" "♪ There is no place like home ♪" "♪ There is no place like home ♪" "♪ I played there like a kid ♪" "♪ Like my father did ♪" "♪ I know I'll be back eventually ♪" "♪ There's no place like home ♪" "♪ There's no place like home ♪" "♪ There's no place like home ♪" "♪ There's no place like home ♪"