[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 6 (Wednesday, February 4, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H244-H245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             AMERICA SHOULD MOVE CAUTIOUSLY REGARDING IRAQ

  (Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)

[[Page H245]]

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, the Saudis this past week expressed a sincere 
concern about an anti-American backlash if we start bombing Baghdad. We 
should not ignore the feelings of the Saudis. If a neighbor can oppose 
this bombing, we should be very cautious.
  In the next week or two, we may have a resolution coming to this 
floor endorsing the bombing and, in essence, allowing for a declaration 
of war. Saddam Hussein does not pose any threat to our national 
security. We should be going very cautiously. Bombing might cause some 
accident regarding biological warfare. It may cause an irrational act 
by Saddam Hussein with one of his neighbors. It is bound to kill 
innocent lives, innocent civilians in Iraq. It could kill many American 
flyers as well. It costs a lot of money.
  And even if we do kill Hussein, what do we do? We create a vacuum, a 
vacuum that may be filled by Iran. It may be filled by some other 
groups of Islamic fundamentalists.
  There is no real benefit to pursuing this. Our own military has said 
this is like putting on a show. It is political, not a military 
operation.

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