On March 2, 2021, the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, together with the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University, and the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum hosted “30 Years Later: Reflections On the Gulf War & The Coalition Victory.” This event, which featured James A. Baker, III, 61^st U.S. Secretary of State, and Bret Baier, Fox News Chief Political Anchor, commemorated the end of the Gulf War 30 years ago by discussing Secretary Baker’s first-hand account of this pivotal period in history.

The virtual event began with opening remarks from Max Angerholzer, CEO of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, who recognized the significance of hosting this event on Texas Independence Day – two historical references that exemplify the importance of freedom and service to others. Following was a short video, narrated by Foundation Board member Fred McClure, that exhibited the series of actions and decisions made that led to the end of the Gulf War and the liberation of Kuwait in February of 1991.

To open the program, Bret Baier cited President Bush’s famous reaction to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 by declaring “this aggression will not stand.” As Baier recalled, from that moment forward, Secretary Baker played a key role in formulating the policies that ultimately led to victory. When asked about his thinking and strategy regarding the coalition building, Secretary Baker said “We always operated on the premise that it’s better to go with friends than it is to try and go alone – that was certainly President Bush’s mantra.” It was important to President Bush’s national security team that they have the support of those around them in order to fight for what is right and end the injustice that was happening in Kuwait.

Because Baker was not only Secretary of State but also a close friend, he saw President Bush’s apprehension and the weight of his decision to go to war. As Secretary Baker recalled, “There was a lot of opposition to the idea that we would send American men and women to fight in the Persian Gulf for a country that nobody had ever heard of.” Despite the pushback from some, they felt it was necessary to move forward, especially with the backing and support of the coalition.

In retrospect, Secretary Baker detailed how President Bush provided a textbook example of the way to fight a war. “He told the world what he was going to do, he brought the rest of the world behind him to support it… Then he got the U.S. Congress to support it, then he did it, he brought the troops home, and guess what: he got other people to pay for 90% of the war. Now that’s never been done before or since, that I’m aware of.”

The 45-minute program covered other topics connected to Secretary Baker and the Gulf War, including the Soviet Union’s role during this time, the cohesion of President Bush’s national security team, and the recent passing of Civil Rights Activist, Vernon Jordan. The program concluded with many thanks for both speakers and the promise of future events from the Foundation that continue to amplify the legacies of President and Mrs. Bush.