Had the United States and the United Kingdom gone on alone to capture Baghdad, under the provisions of the Geneva and Hague conventions we would have been considered occupying powers and therefore would have been responsible for all the costs of maintaining or restoring government, education and other services for the people of Iraq.

Summary

This quote highlights the potential consequences that the United States and the United Kingdom would have faced if they had proceeded to capture Baghdad without international support. According to the Geneva and Hague conventions, they would have been regarded as occupying powers and would have had the obligation to assume all financial responsibilities related to governing and providing essential services in Iraq. The quote emphasizes the importance of international cooperation and the avoidance of unilateral actions in order to avoid the burden of long-term commitments and responsibilities in a post-conflict scenario.