[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       POPE SCOOPED PRESS ON IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Bob Schaffer) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, the media entertained then summarily 
dismissed fantastic ``Wag the Dog'' analogies to December's missile 
strike against Iraq. Even now, few have ventured post mortem analyses 
of the momentous episode sidetracked by historic impeachment coverage.
  Billions spent, lives lost and risked, measured against the efficacy 
of modern warfare have gone virtually unchallenged in America's press, 
much less the President's ulterior political benefits accumulated 
throughout the exchange.
  His Holiness Pope John Paul II was right to seize the occasion of a 
St. Louis visit to chastise Bill Clinton's handling of Iraq. More than 
2 months having passed since Operation Desert Fox, it remains unclear 
who stands the victor.
  The coincident timing of impeachment-eve air strikes fueled rampant 
speculation about President Bill Clinton's motives, drawing indignant 
insistence by the White House U.S. national security was the singular 
interest. Today, the Pope finds himself among an ever-growing crowd of 
Americans unconvinced the missile attack was an absolute necessity, and 
with the settling dust comes clarification of the uneasy truth, Saddam 
Hussein remains in power.
  This fact controverts the December 17, 1998, call by Congress to 
finish the job. On a near unanimous vote, 221 Republicans, 195 
Democrats and one Independent adopted a resolution in support of our 
troops in Desert Fox. Congress also included in the measure a bold 
policy statement ``to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from 
power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a Democratic government 
to replace that regime.''
  However, one day into Desert Fox, Defense Secretary Cohen confessed 
before a closed assembly of this House our plans did not include 
undermining Saddam's dictatorship. ``The objective of the attack,'' he 
admitted, ``is to go after those chemical, biological or weapons of 
mass destruction sites to the extent that we can.''

                              {time}  1515

  A Congressman followed up, ``Why not go after him if that's what the 
problem is?''
  Cohen replied, ``We have set forth our specific targets, and that's 
what we intend to carry out.'' Across the Atlantic, British Defense 
Minister Robertson delivered the consonant line to members of 
parliament, ``It's not our objective to remove Saddam Hussein from 
power.''
  Coupled with the historic record of Clinton's Iraq policy, his 
eagerness to launch missiles while neglecting chief U.S. objectives 
adds plausibility to the pontiff's skepticism. The President's stubborn 
devotion to the failing policy of containment has yielded little more 
than prolonged hardship for Iraq's 22 million civilians and unneeded 
strain on precarious international relationships.
  Clearly the President's precipitous policy in Iraq obviates the need 
for it to be replaced by a serious one designed to legitimately achieve 
genuine U.S. objectives. Meanwhile, the absence of such a policy should 
compel even tepid curiosity among the media as to what Clinton had 
hoped to achieve, if not well-established U.S. objectives.
  Pundits and editorial writers of virtually every country except the 
United States have proffered cogent opinions fairly impugning the 
motives of our Commander in Chief. A day into Desert Fox, one member of 
Britain's parliament, aligned with Clinton's parallel political party, 
I might add, even admonished his colleagues in formal session, ``After 
all, we're not being led into battle by Richard the Lion-Hearted but by 
William the liar.''
  Here at home, however, it was just too troubling to contemplate 
another scandal, especially when TV production trucks had already 
secured their coveted parking spaces outside the Capitol.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). The gentleman from Colorado will 
suspend.
  The Chair must caution all Members to abstain from addressing the 
President in terms or language personally offensive as by applying to 
him pejorative labels or attributing to him unworthy motives.
  The gentleman may continue.
  Mr. SCHAFFER. An odd blend of serendipity and irony, the Senate's 
arraignment of Clinton's folly captivated the media attention so 
completely as to conceal what may prove the proportionate diversionary 
scandal of Desert Fox. But with no sex, cigars, stained dresses or Jane 
Doe's, who could possibly maintain interest for that long?
  John Paul II, of course, is not in the business of ratings, 
advertising, market share, circulation and amusement. His concern is 
for the truth, human dignity and peace, and that is the reason he 
scooped the American media on this one.

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