[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H10949-H10950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING IRAQ

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask further unanimous consent that the 
Committee on International Relations be discharged from further 
consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 322), expressing the sense of 
the House that the United States should act to resolve the crisis with 
Iraq in a manner that assures full Iraqi compliance with United Nations 
Security Council resolutions regarding the destruction of Iraq's 
capability to produce and deliver weapons of mass destruction, and that 
peaceful and diplomatic efforts should be pursued, but that if such 
efforts fail, multilateral military action or unilateral United States 
military action should be taken; the amendment to the text that I have 
placed at the desk be considered as adopted; the resolution be 
considered as adopted; and the amendment to the preamble that I have 
placed at the desk be considered as adopted.
  The text of H. Res. 322, as amended, is as follows:

                              H. Res. 322

       Whereas at the conclusion of the Gulf War the United States 
     and the United Nations acting through the Security Council 
     determined to find and destroy all of Iraq's capability to 
     produce chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and its 
     ability to produce missiles capable of delivering such 
     weapons of mass destruction;
       Whereas in pursuit of this goal, the United Nations set up 
     a special multinational commission of experts to oversee the 
     completion

[[Page H10950]]

     of this task (the United Nations Special Commission--UNSCOM), 
     and that task could and should have been accomplished within 
     a matter of months if Iraq had cooperated with the United 
     Nations officials;
       Whereas sanctions were imposed upon Iraq to insure its 
     compliance with United Nations directives to eliminate its 
     capability to produce weapons of mass destruction, with the 
     provision that the sanctions would be lifted when UNSCOM 
     certified that Iraq's capability to produce weapons of mass 
     destruction had been eliminated;
       Whereas for six and a half years Iraq has pursued a policy 
     of deception, lies, concealment, harassment and intimidation 
     in a deliberate effort to hamper the work of UNSCOM in 
     eliminating Iraq's ability to produce and deliver weapons of 
     mass destruction; and
       Whereas recently the government of Iraq has escalated its 
     policy of non-compliance with United Nations Security Council 
     resolutions by refusing to permit United States citizens who 
     are recognized specialists from participating as members of 
     UNSCOM teams in carrying out in Iraq actions to implement 
     Security Council resolutions: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the United States House 
     of Representatives
       (1) that the current crisis regarding Iraq should be 
     resolved peacefully through diplomatic means but in a manner 
     which assures full Iraqi compliance with United Nations 
     Security Council resolutions, regarding the destruction of 
     Iraq's capability to produce and deliver weapons of mass 
     destruction;
       (2) that in the event that military means are necessary to 
     compel Iraqi compliance with United Nations Security Council 
     resolutions, such military action should be undertaken with 
     the broadest feasible multi-national support, preferably 
     pursuant to a resolution of the United Nations Security 
     Council;
       (3) but that if it is necessary, the United States should 
     take military action unilaterally to compel Iraqi compliance 
     with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
                                  ____

       Strike all after the resolved clause and insert the 
     following:
       That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
       (1) the current crisis regarding Iraq should be resolved 
     peacefully through diplomatic means but in a manner which 
     assures full Iraqi compliance with United Nations Security 
     Council resolutions regarding the destruction of Iraq's 
     capability to produce and deliver weapons of mass 
     destruction;
       (2) in the event that military means are necessary to 
     compel Iraqi compliance with United Nations Security Council 
     resolutions, such military action should be undertaken with 
     the broadest feasible multinational support, preferably 
     pursuant to a decision of the United Nations Security 
     Council; and
       (3) if it is necessary, however, the United States should 
     take military action unilaterally to compel Iraqi compliance 
     with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
                                  ____

       Strike all that precedes the resolved clause and insert the 
     following:
       Whereas at the conclusion of the Gulf War the United States 
     and the United Nations, acting through the Security Council, 
     determined to find and destroy all of Iraq's capability to 
     produce chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and its 
     ability to produce missiles capable of delivering such 
     weapons of mass destruction;
       Whereas in pursuit of this goal, the United Nations set up 
     a special multinational commission of experts to oversee the 
     completion of this task (the United Nations Special 
     Commission--UNSCOM), and that task could and should have 
     accomplished within a matter of months if Iraq had cooperated 
     with United Nations officials;
       Whereas sanctions were imposed upon Iraq to insure its 
     compliance with United Nations directives to eliminate its 
     capability to produce weapons of mass destruction;
       Whereas for 6\1/2\ years Iraq has pursued a policy of 
     deception, lies, concealment, harassment, and intimidation in 
     a deliberate effort to hamper the work of UNSCOM in 
     eliminating Iraq's ability to produce and deliver weapons of 
     mass destruction; and
       Whereas recently the Government of Iraq has escalated its 
     policy of noncompliance and continues to breach in a material 
     way United Nations Security Council resolutions by refusing 
     to permit United States citizens who are recognized 
     specialists as members of UNSCOM teams in carrying out in 
     Iraq actions to implement Security Council resolutions: Now, 
     therefore, be it

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my support for the 
resolution that our colleague, Mr. Lantos, has introduced, and to 
commend him for his forthrightness on the issue of Saddam Hussein. I am 
pleased to cosponsor this bill. The current crisis with Iraq is, at its 
core, yet another effort by Saddam to evade sanctions and to isolate 
the United States from its allies.
  It was decided by the member states of the United Nations, under the 
auspices of the U.N. Security Council, over 6 years ago, that the 
civilized world would no longer countenance Saddam's efforts to 
threaten the region and the world through chemical, biological, and 
nuclear means. Accordingly, UNSCOM was created to uncover and destroy 
Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
  The sanctions which followed were imposed upon Iraq to ensure its 
compliance, and were to remain in place until that capability no longer 
existed. However, the Iraqi regime has evaded UNSCOM's efforts at every 
turn, and UNSCOM inspectors have been harassed, intimidated, and 
deceived on a regular basis. It is testament to UNSCOM's persistence 
that progress in eliminating Iraq's capabilities has been made over the 
years. But Saddam's capabilities have not been completely eliminated.
  It has become clear that Saddam Hussein's repeated refusal to permit 
American inspectors from participating in UNSCOM inspections cannot be 
allowed to stand. While all of us support resolving this latest crisis 
through diplomatic means, Saddam must know that force will be used, if 
necessary, to ensure that the U.N. Security Council resolutions are 
complied with.
  The bill expresses the sense of the house supporting the use of force 
as a last resort to assure the destruction of Iraq's capability to 
produce and deliver weapons of mass destruction--preferably through a 
multilateral effort. However, the bill advocates unilateral action by 
the United States if necessary.
  Saddam must know that our resolve is greater than his, and that we 
will not be swayed by our collective determination to eliminate his 
capability to create and inflict weapons of mass destruction upon his 
neighbors and the world. Accordingly, I urge our colleagues' support 
for this bill.

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