I'm intrigued by the notion of how important it is for the United States to act in the interest of its own credibility, and clearly this was at stake in this case because we pulled back in November.

Uh, I think, uh, trying to get a solution to these problems, uh, requires a very, um, orchestrated relationship Between politics and diplomacy on the one hand, and the credible use of force or threat of the use of force, uh, on the other.

Uh, we would like to solve these problems by diplomacy.

But I think the record over years now makes it very clear that, uh, diplomacy not supported by a credible use of force just doesn't produce results.

Uh, now the use of the force, uh, cr- solves some problems, it creates other problems.

Uh, but I think it is necessary.

And I think a person like Saddam Hussein, he's not dumb, he's not stupid, is very skillful in understanding when we do in fact have a credible use of force, uh, present.

Meaning of-