BUSH NEWS CONF. - 02/05/91

...without condition, and all the rest of this then can fall into place.

Yes, last one, Maureen. .

Q Mr. . President , we have hear d from your wife recently that you haven't been sleeping so well, and we've also heard that the drums outside are keeping you awake. If you could just share with us. what kind of personal toll this war is taking on you as far as your routine, your needs, your emotions?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Maureen, look, my wife -- normally I stick by everything she says, but I'm sleeping very well -- (Some laughter). The drums have ceased oddly enough. And there was a slight hyperbole there because the drums could only be heard from one side of the White House. However, when they got up over the 60 decibel count limit, a protest was raised by a hotel over here because they were on wrong side and they heard the drums. And lo, people went forth with decibel count auditors-- (laughter) -- and they found the man got up to -- this drummer, incessant drummers, got over 60 and they were moved out of there, And I hope they stay out of there because I don't want the people in the hotel to not have a good night's sleep --(laughter)

I am sleeping quite well as a matter- of fact. And I say this not frivolously because you asked a more serious question, and I can't tell you that I don't worry a lot about our families of the troops. I'll tell you what was emotional for me -- and I don't think I have had a press conference since then -- was this visit down to the three bases I went to, and it was very, very moving. But, what I came back with was the sense of -- the sense of wonder at the way these spouses are staying together, totally supportive of their spouses across the way. So, I got - -when I said I got lifted up -- my morale was not down, it's been good -- and I am just so confident of how this thing's going to work.

But, it was better -- my morale was better when it was -- I saw these families. And when I taIked to some who had loved ones missing or held prisoners, I just wondered at thelr strength, and I have had some other contacts with people that are in that description. One, a most beautiful letter from a wife of a pilot who was killed in action, and her spirit and the way she approached this whole conflict over there

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...We tried that, Diplomatic effort after diplomatic effort. Now we're in a war with this man and he will comply with these resolutions fully, without concession and then we can determine what niceties or what little detail need to be done."

His remarks seemed also to harden the Soviet-American statement last week in which the Iraqis were offered a possible cease-fire if they gave an "unequivocal commitment" to pull out of Kuwait and took concrete steps to back it up.

In announcing his plan to send Mr. Cheney and General Powell to the Middle East later this week, Mr. Bush did not spell out his instructions to the two officials in great detail. But he made it clear that they were to asess the course of the war and review the options for a ground offensive.

Mr Bush said he wanted Mr. Cheney and General Powell to advise him whether an aair attack alone "will get the job done."

"My own view," he said, is I'm somewhat sceptical that it would."
Exhibit 10