[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H1750-H1751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1530
  THE GOVERNMENTS OF SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT, JAPAN, AND EUROPE OWE THE 
                        UNITED STATES A RESPONSE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Everett). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson] is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, the tragedies in Israel over the last 
several weeks are something that all of us have to pay close attention 
to. I am proud that the American Government and President Clinton have 
led the effort to try to build a real and lasting peace in the Middle 
East. But many of our friends in countries who have benefited from 
America's generosity and America's courage have not only not helped us 
in this struggle for peace, but have actually supported the opponents 
of peace in the Middle East.
  Mr. Speaker, today I will be sending letters to the Governments of 
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to ask them what they are doing to try to stop 
the attacks on innocent Israeli civilians by Hamas. I will be sending 
the same letter, virtually, to the Governments of France, England, 
Germany, and Japan. Their continuing trade with Iran, dealing with Iran 
as if it was one of the civilized nations of the world, continues

[[Page H1751]]

to provide for them the wherewithal to continue their support for the 
terrorists in Hamas.
  In Jordan and Egypt we see different kinds of governments. They, 
along with the Israelis and the leaders of the PLO, Mr. Arafat and 
others, have struggled to build a peace in a region of the world that 
has seldom seen peace. We should also remember and applaud their 
efforts: The courage of King Hussein, the leadership and the courage of 
President Mubarak and his predecessor, Anwar Sadat.
  In Israel, the Israelis have lost so much in their leadership, in 
their citizenry, in the wars and terrorism. Their courage in continuing 
in this peace process is truly remarkable. But the question has to be 
asked, the Saudis and Kuwaitis are regulars in this capital asking for 
assistance and protection, but what have they done to assist the peace 
process? What have the Saudis and Kuwaitis done to try to stop Hamas 
and its violence on innocent civilians?
  These governments, these feudalistic governments, cannot buy their 
security by financing the fundamentalists who will attack women and 
children with bombs in schools and marketplaces and bus stops. The 
governments of the Western World, France, England, Germany, and Japan, 
they cannot hold their head high in the international community while 
they continue to do business with Iran, the country that is singly most 
responsible for the terrorism in the Middle East.
  Syria wants to be included in the family of nations. It needs to end 
its support for Hamas, and the operation of Hamas within its borders. 
We as Americans are happy to lead. We are happy to take on more than 
our share of responsibility. But again, I cannot emphasize enough, 
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are there today solely because of American 
courage, solely because of American action, and solely because of 
American guarantees for their freedom.
  The Saudis and the Kuwaitis do nothing to stop the financing of this 
terrorist organization. Their governments need to respond with actions 
that show they can be trusted as friends and allies, not just as those 
who need our assistance. France, England, Germany, and Japan want to be 
leaders of the world. They want to be the kind of partners that America 
looks for in running this world, in leading the world toward a better 
place for all the people of the world. They continue to provide the 
financial support for Iran that enables Iran to support and subsidize 
terrorism globally.

  We in America must demand from these countries some action. We must 
demand more than just rhetoric and rhetorical responses to this kind of 
savagery. The Government of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Kuwait 
owe the Americans a response. They owe the world a response, the world 
that turned to their rescue to end the terrorism of Hamas in the Middle 
East.
  France, England, Germany, and Japan are wealthy enough nations that 
they could join with us in isolating the Government of Iran until they 
are ready to act like a civilized and responsible nation. Nations do 
not kill children. Nations do not finance an organization that places 
bombs in civilian areas. We need to lead and we need these countries to 
join us. I will await their responses.

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