[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 161 (Monday, December 15, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2414-E2415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING IRAQ
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HON. TOM LANTOS
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, November 13, 1997
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives late today
approved House Resolution 322, which places this body on record in
favor of using force against Iraq if that is necessary in order to
compel Iraq to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions which call
for the elimination of Iraq's capability to produce nuclear, chemical,
or biological weapons and missiles capable of delivering
[[Page E2415]]
such weapons. While my resolution specifies that efforts should be made
to resolve the problems peacefully through diplomatic means, it makes
clear that if such efforts fail, the Congress supports the use of
military force.
The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that we must be certain that we
eliminate Saddam Hussein's ability to produce weapons of mass
destruction and the missiles which deliver them. Our resolution makes
that objective clear. If we can do that peacefully through active
diplomacy, that clearly is the course we should take. If diplomacy
fails, however, we should use force--through multilateral cooperation
with our allies, if that can be done, but unilaterally if that is our
only remaining option.
The purpose of this resolution is to make it completely clear and
unequivocal to Saddam Hussein and his government that the Congress
supports the use of military force if that is required. There must be
no doubt about the importance of continuing inspections as called for
under U.N. Security Council decisions, and there must be no doubt about
the resolve of the U.S. Government and of the support of the American
people to take military action if that should become necessary.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Speaker, the majority leader, and
the minority leader for their support and assistance in the adoption of
this resolution. I also want to thank my friend and colleague from New
York, the distinguished chairman of the International Relations
Committee, Mr. Gilman, for joining me as the principal cosponsor of
this resolution and for his bringing this resolution before the
International Relations Committee earlier this morning. I also want to
thank my friend and colleague from Indiana, the distinguished ranking
Democratic member of the International Relations Committee, Mr.
Hamilton, for his strong support of the resolution and for joining as a
cosponsor.
Mr. Speaker, also joining as cosponsors of this resolution are a
number of our colleagues: Mr. Goss of Florida, the chairman of the
Select Committee on Intelligence, Mr. Yates, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Skelton,
Mr. Sisisky, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Spratt, Mr.
Horn, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Rothman, Mr. Sherman, Mr.
Faleomavaega, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Foley, and Mr. Waxman.
The text of our resolution as it was adopted here in the House is as
follows:
H. Res. 322
Expressing the sense of the House that the United States
should act to resolve this 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 is such efforts fail, multilateral
military action or unilateral United States military action
should be taken.
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 been
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 to participate 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 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.
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