As a Nobel Peace laureate, I, like most people, agonize over the use of force. But when it comes to rescuing an innocent people from tyranny or genocide, I've never questioned the justification for resorting to force. That's why I supported Vietnam's 1978 invasion of Cambodia, which ended Pol Pot's regime, and Tanzania's invasion of Uganda in 1979, to oust Idi Amin. In both cases, those countries acted without U.N. or international approval—and in both cases they were right to do so.

~ José Ramos-Horta

José Ramos-Horta 1978 2004 Cambodia Cambodian Vietnamese War Genocide Idi Amin International Law Iraq Iraq War Khmer Rouge Nobel Peace Prize Pacifism Peace Pol Pot Tanzania Tyranny Uganda Uganda Tanzania War United Nations United States Vietnam War

Sometimes, a war saves people.

~ José Ramos-Horta

José Ramos-Horta Humanitarian Intervention Humanitarianism Pacifism War

In the case of Iraq, notwithstanding the violence there at the moment, the very fact that a hideous regime - responsible for genocide, for the use of chemical and biological weapons, aggression against two neighbors - has been removed in itself is a positive development.

~ José Ramos-Horta

José Ramos-Horta Moment Violence Neighbors

The second one, the joint Truth and Friendship Commission, which we started now with Indonesia, that is the one that has been criticized; its terms of reference call for providing amnesty for those who cooperate in telling the truth. It does not lead to prosecution.

~ José Ramos-Horta

José Ramos-Horta Truth Lead Second