George W. Bush

The following viewpoint is excerpted from President George W. Bush’s address to the American people on March 17, 2003, in which he argues that diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis have failed and that military action may be necessary to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s regime. He maintains that the United States has the right to defend itself from regimes such as Hussein’s that pose a clear security threat. According to the president, Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction and has connections with international terrorists. He asserts that America tried to work with the United Nations to disarm Iraq without war, but Hussein’s persistent defiance has left the United States with little choice but to resort to military action. Bush’s speech also includes passages directed at...