Re-post of info:
Bush Sends Iraq Text to Congress
URL: apnews.excite.com
Sep 19, 3:50 PM (ET)
By MATT KELLEY
(AP) President Bush meets with Secretary of State Colin Powell, left, , Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002, in the...
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WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush asked Congress Thursday for authority to "use all means," including military force if necessary, to disarm and overthrow Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein if United Nations inspections cannot eliminate Iraq's banned weapons.
Separately, the White House pressed reluctant allies Russia and France to support a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing force. The Iraqi president told the world organization in a written message that his country has no chemical, biological or nuclear weapons - and was ready to welcome back inspectors.
The proposal Bush sent to Capitol Hill would give him broad war-making authority. "If you want to keep the peace, you've got to have the authorization to use force," he told reporters in the Oval Office.
The president worked to build support for a vote by Congress before lawmakers go home to campaign for the Nov. 5 elections. His proposed resolution says Iraq has repeatedly violated U.N. resolutions and international law by possessing chemical and biological weapons, seeking nuclear weapons, repressing the Iraqi people and consorting with terrorists.
Congressional leaders predicted lawmakers would quickly pass a resolution on Iraq, although Democrats said they would like to have a say on the measure's final wording.
"We don't want to be a rubber stamp, but we do want to be helpful and supportive," said Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. "Congress has a role here, and we'll assert that role whenever it is necessary or appropriate."
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., said he would like the resolution to specify that Bush needs a U.N. resolution backing the use of force. "Going alone has some very significant risks," Levin said.
As drafted, Bush's resolution would authorize him to use force unilaterally if he deemed necessary, without waiting for the U.N. to act.
It reads: "The president is authorized to use all means that he determines to be appropriate, including force, in order to enforce the United Nations Security Council resolutions, defend the national security interests of the United States against the threat posed by Iraq, and restore international peace and security in the region."
(AP) Rep. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., center, leads a Capitol Hill news conference Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002,...
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Bush spoke to reporters after meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell on his difficult diplomatic effort to draft the U.N. resolution against Iraq. The administration has to overcome strong reservations by Russia and France, which have veto power as permanent council members.
Britain is expected to side with the United States. The fifth member, China, has voiced opposition to unilateral U.S. military action but has not threatened to veto measures calling for collective action.
"The United Nations Security Council must work with the United States and other concerned parties to send a clear message that we expect Saddam to disarm," Bush said.
"And if the United Nations Security Council won't deal with the problem, the United States and some of our friends will," he declared.
The gap between Russian and American viewpoints was underlined in comments by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov at the Pentagon, where he met with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. Ivanov said he believed U.N. weapons inspectors will succeed in settling the question of whether Iraq has weapons of mass destruction.
(AP) Medea Benjamin of Global Exchange, a group focusing on human rights and social justice, talks to...
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"Being experienced in that sort of business - both Americans and Russians - I think we can easily establish (whether) there exist or not weapons of mass destruction technology," Ivanov said.
Rumsfeld has said repeatedly that inspections cannot be 100 percent reliable because Iraq has a long history of deceiving inspectors - and because it's had nearly four years to figure out how to hide its weapons.
Meantime, Saddam told the United Nations that Iraq is free of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
"Our country is ready to receive any scientific experts, accompanied by politicians you choose to represent any one of your countries, to tell us which places and scientific installations they would wish to see," Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told the world body, quoting the Iraqi president.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer ridiculed the Iraqi statement as a "disappointing failure in every respect."
(AP) Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld ponders a question while testifying on Capitol Hill Wednesday,...
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Apparently preparing for a possible U.S. attack, Saddam in recent weeks has moved some military forces into civilian areas, Rumsfeld said. Other officials said it did not appear to be the kind of large-scale movement of forces that would indicate Saddam expects an imminent attack, but rather a precaution against a sudden assault.
Following his meeting with Powell, Vice President Dick Cheney and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Bush lobbied a small group of lawmakers - something Rice, too, planned to do with other groups later Thursday.
Bush said he wanted Congress to give him not only the power to make war with Saddam, but also an explicit restatement of U.S. policy that Saddam must be overthrown. The wording he asked for expressed support "for efforts to remove from power the current Iraqi regime and promote the emergence of a democratic government."
Later, during a visit to the Homeland Security Command Center, Bush told reporters that, while he had not seen the Iraqi statement, he assumed it was "the same old song and dance we've heard for 11 years." He challenged the Security Council anew to show some "backbone ... or the United States and some of our friends will do so."
On Capitol Hill Thursday, some House Democrats condemned the move toward military action, with Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich calling it "unjustified, unwarranted and illegal."
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said she was introducing a resolution with 20 co-ponsors calling on the United States to work with the U.N. to carry out the weapons inspections. "A pre-mptive, unilateral first strike would set a terrible international precedent," she said.
Copyright 2002 Associated Press. All right reserved. |
