20 years later, Bush has no regrets about Gulf War
HOUSTON (AP) — Former President George H.W. Bush says he’s comfortable that the defining moment of his presidency was the Gulf War, which began 20 years ago this week.
In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Bush also says he’s relieved the loss of American lives was minimal after critics warned “thousands of body bags” would be needed for casualties. And he doesn’t regret stopping the war with a vanquished Saddam Hussein retaining power in Iraq.
Bush says he doesn’t think he would have done anything differently. While he acknowledges hoping Saddam would “do himself in in some way,” he says the mission was liberating Kuwait, not ousting the Iraqi leader.
Bush will commemorate the war Thursday during a reunion of top administration officials at his presidential library at Texas A&M University.