We struck Iraq's intelligence headquarters after its agents plotted to murder President Bush. We convinced Saddam to pull back his troops from Kuwait's border in 1994. Speaking generally, he made clear that force lay in reserve behind America's diplomatic efforts. Diplomacy and force are two sides of the same coin. As president, the hardest decision I ever have to make is to put our troops in harm's way.
Force can never be the first answer.
Clinton spoke after meeting with the nation's top military leaders for a semiannual review of key defense and security issues around the world. Among those briefing the president were Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, who is responsible for the Gulf region as head of the U.S. Central Command. He gave Clinton an update on developments concerning Iraq. Separately, a U.S. official said Clinton's team of top national security advisers had stepped up their schedule of White House meetings to coordinate the U.S. response to the crisis and had met this week every day until Thursday. In Congress, lawmakers were considering the exact wording of a bipartisan resolution that would condemn Iraq's refusal to end its programs for weapons of mass destruction and essentially authorize the use of military force in response to this threat.