Brokaw: While President Bush
begins a massive build-up of U.S. troops,
Baker continues on the diplomatic front;
putting together the international coalition
committed to expelling Iraq from Kuwait.
Colin Powell: And the in due course,
He actually went and got everybody to pay for the war.
It's the only war we've ever fought
That had a good return on investments financially.
Brokaw: But before launching the war,
there is one more diplomatic step.
Ross: The President told Baker,
"Congratulations, you did a great job,
but I got to prove to the American people
I went the extra mile."
Powell: He wanted to see if there was some way
to resolve this without war,
and he gave it that once last chance.
Jon Meacham: That's one of the things that's so striking about both men,
is they are fundamentally careful and thoughtful.
Neither one of them is a cowboy.
Neither one of them is erratic.
Neither one of them would let ideology
drive a decision contrary to fact.
Brokaw: On January 9, 1991,
only one week before the U.S.-imposed deadline
to launch the war,
Baker meets in Geneva
with Iraq's Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz.
Margaret D. Tutwiler: It was deadly serious,
and at that time, sitting beside Minister Tariq Aziz,
was Saddam Hussein's son-in-law.
And it was clear that he was going out and leaving the room
and talking to Saddam Hussein
and coming back in with instructions.
Dennis B. Ross: And I felt like, looking at Tariq Aziz,
if it had been up to him,
he would've looked for a way out.
Baker: He kept wanting us to give something to Saddam
to save face.
And I said, "Hey, that's not what this is about."
Reporter: Is it finished, Mr. Baker?
Ross: A couple of times in the meeting,
Tariq Aziz would hint that something could be possible,
let's just continue these discussions.
And Baker said, "No, if you want to continue discussions,
commit now to withdraw. It didn't take you long to get in.
It shouldn't take you anytime to get out."
Tutwiler: Tariq Aziz wasn't a fool at all.
But yet for some reason that's hard to process in your mind,
They didn't blink.
Friedman: They met for like six hours
and then suddenly they called the press conference.
Baker goes up to give his remarks,
to give his assessment of the day.
Baker: Ladies and gentlemen,
I have just given President Bush a full report."
Friedman: And then I'll never forget what he said,
"But regrettably, ladies and gentleman..."
Baker: But regrettably, ladies and gentleman..."
Friedman: And I remember my fingers, it was so unnerve --
I couldn't hit the keys,
because I knew that from that half sentence,
"But regrettably, ladies and gentleman,"
a whole history would now flow.
[GUNFIRE]