DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Our look back at CNN's 20th anniversary: the day that former President Bush drew a line in the sand in Saudi Arabia.</s>GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: At my direction, elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, as well as key units of the United States Air Force, are arriving today to take up defensive positions in Saudi Arabia.</s>CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: President Bush of the United States declared that he would order troops in Saudi Arabia to defend Saudi Arabia, and all of a sudden you could tell that the stakes were rising and the tension was rising. And this was going to be probably a massive story.</s>BUSH: A line has been drawn in the sand. The United States has taken a firm position.</s>CHARLES BIERBAUER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Bush's reaction was very strong. It was: This naked aggression shall not stand. And from the very beginning, he took the viewpoint that the Iraqis had to withdraw from Kuwait.</s>BUSH: I took this action to assist the Saudi Arabian government in the defense of its homeland. No one commits America's armed forces to a dangerous mission lightly, but after perhaps unparalleled international consultation and exhausting every alternative, it became necessary to take this action.</s>BIERBAUER: It led to the ability of Mr. Bush to put together a coalition that included the Soviet Union, as well as the traditional allies, to come together and say to the Iraqis: You have got to go. And then take action.
CNN 20: Troops Sent to Saudi Arabia, August 8, 1990