The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2003

over, pass before you. When you hear at the same time the amazing drum- mers of Burundi, definitely a part of the war machinery, not just drum- mers, you saw them as a part of this ferocious military. The ceremonial drums built fear in the hearts of the Hutus. That’s the impression I had of the country on my arrival. C has Freeman recalls serving as ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War. General Norman Schwarzkopf and I had a very close and cooperative rela- tionship, rather unusually. As part of that relationship, although I never took part in military planning sessions, during visits by Secretary [of Defense Dick] Cheney, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Colin Powell, and others asso- ciated with them, Gen. Schwarzkopf would fill me in, in broad terms, about his thinking, not only before they arrived, but also about the results of these conferences. The result was that we were able to help each other a good deal. I knew from, I suppose, mid- November, two prospective dates that were crucial. One was the date of Jan. 17, 2:40 in the morning, which was the moment that Gen. Schwarzkopf had recommended for the air assault on Iraq to unfold. The second was the date of Feb. 21, 1991, which was the date that he had set for the unfolding of the ground assault. … I was quite clear on the general nature of the bat- tle plan [and so] was rather surprised, in January 1991, to discover that the president and Sec. Cheney had not confided it to Secretary of State Baker. He came to Saudi Arabia to meet with the king and various others, espe- cially Foreign Minister Saud al-Faysal. During that meeting, a couple of things happened that I found really rather shocking. One was a meeting, actually in a sort of side room of the king’s guest hotel in Riyadh, between Baker, several of his entourage, Schwarzkopf, and me (now mind you, this was Jan. 10, only seven days before the actual unfolding of the battle for Kuwait), at which Baker mused out loud that he wondered what our war aims ought to be. …So it was clear that there had really been no thought at all given in Washington, at high levels, to what specific results we wished to achieve from the war, notwithstanding the many telegrams that I had sent and the many representations Gen. Schwarzkopf had made in military channels, asking for two things: a defi- nition of war objectives and, second, a war termination strategy. That led me, several days later, on the eve of the attack, having failed to get for Gen. Schwarzkopf and myself and others any statement of war aims, to draft a cable saying that, unless instructed otherwise, here is what he believes he has authority to do — a J U LY- A U G U S T 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 55 Spend your time the way you want . Do the same with your per diem . • Free Breakfast Buffet • Fitness Center • Laundry • Sundowner socials Your per diem goes much farther. So the next time you travel, spend some time here at Staybridge Suites . And Make It Your Place. Tysons-McLean 6845 Old Dominion Drive McLean, VA 22101 Phone: 703.448.5400 Fax: 703.506.0001 Owned by McLean Hotel LLC and Operated by Grand Duke Hotel, LLC Visit Staybridge Suites