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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group

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To: stockman_scott who wrote (49863)	10/7/2002 12:03:33 AM
From: Karen Lawrence	Read Replies (1) of 281500

Congressman McDermott (whom dissemblers try to discredit) says about his visit to Iraq :"he discovered that taking out Saddam isn’t the answer because, in his opinion, an assassination or bombing of Baghdad would merely open the door for Arab retaliation against America. (but there are, of course, those who wish to eliminate all Arabs) Congressman “Baghdad Jim” McDermott Joins The Bob Rivers Show! new.twistedtunes.com Washington State Congressman Jim McDermott told us that detractors started calling him “Baghdad Jim” because they ran out of things to say. McDermott said he was mislabeled simply because he happened to be in Iraq when he made his anti-war comments. McDermott said he went to Baghdad to prevent war. He warned Iraqi officials not to mess with America. He cautioned Iraq not to say anything that could be misconstrued as threatening. McDermott went out of his way to NOT meet with Saddam… even though he could have! The last thing he wanted was a photo of him shaking hands with Saddam. Instead, he met with Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and 25 other officials. Joe asked McDermott what he said to the Iraqis when the TV cameras were off. Did he warn them that Bush was a crazy Texan who loves guns? “I wouldn’t have said it quite that way,” replied McDermott. Congressman McDermott last visited Iraq in 1991 and wanted to see the impact of 11 years of sanctions. He said he discovered that taking out Saddam isn’t the answer because, in his opinion, an assassination or bombing of Baghdad would merely open the door for Arab retaliation against America. Not only that, McDermott told us he’s afraid that killing Saddam would set a precedent for other countries to eliminate undesirable leaders or political situations. He cited China taking over Taiwan or Indian nuking Pakistan as possible examples. McDermott informed us that the city of Baghdad is the size of Detroit, which means that war there would involve nasty street fighting. Imagine anybody trying to take over Detroit! Congressman McDermott also told us that he doesn’t know why Senators Murray and Cantwell have been silent on the subject of war with Iraq. But he thinks the issue of whether to go to war is one of the most important votes Congress will face. “Baghdad Jim” said he doesn’t want the United States acting alone as world policeman on the Iraq situation. But McDermott made it clear that he is not a pacifist. He told us “sometimes war is necessary.”

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