[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 25, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H2280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             ASSUMING THE MANTLE OF RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of 
January 7, 2003, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, last Sunday I attended the dedication of a 
recently constructed house of worship at High Point, North Carolina. 
The minister reminded those of us in the congregation about the past 
history of the United States, our benevolence, our having offered 
assistance time and again to our distressed neighbors across the world.
  When I heard these words, I concluded that we Americans do need to 
remind the world, pardon my immodesty, that we are indeed the eternal 
good guy. We have pulled chestnuts from the fire for many nations and 
many people; and some who have become beneficiaries of our benevolence 
conveniently become victims of amnesia.
  I recently saw a televised interview, Mr. Speaker, of one protesting 
our involvement in Iraq, who blamed President Bush for having led us to 
believe that this would be brief and easy. That charge, Mr. Speaker, is 
misleading and inaccurate. President Bush from the very outset has made 
it clear that this encounter would be arduous and demanding.
  I have been advised that President Clinton publicly said that this 
war would be quickly won. I did not hear him say it, but, if he did, it 
was a reckless, irresponsible conclusion. Such utterances lull 
observers into what could be a sense of false security and serve no 
good purpose to our troops.
  The United Nations has been disappointing throughout this exercise. 
Certain members of the U.N. need to enroll, it seems to me, in 
refresher leadership courses. Saddam Hussein has danced circles around 
the U.N., and he surely must be laughing up his sleeve.
  Saddam, not unlike the school yard bully, has imposed havoc upon his 
people and upon his neighbors; and, not unlike the school yard bully, 
he will continue to destroy until someone has the fortitude to 
challenge him, to call his bluff.
  Permit me to examine Saddam's record during his bloody regime: 
Thousands have disappeared in the Iraqi prison network; there are 
numerous accounts of torture and burning of human flesh of accused 
victims, children dying of starvation, starvation accelerated by 
Saddam, women notoriously raped in the presence of third parties; and, 
once this evil dictator is removed, I am confident many additional 
unbelievable horrible accounts will surface.
  Enter President Bush, enter Prime Minister Tony Blair, enter Spain 
and Australia and others. These leaders have decided the time has come 
to take on the school yard bully.
  Many insist that this is a unilateral operation. Not true. There are 
many supporters, but they are reluctant to openly oppose Saddam. They 
fear him. They in fact, Mr. Speaker, are afraid. Many of his neighbors 
loathe Saddam, but they stand in fear. But the Bush-Blair wagon will 
move forward with the support, albeit sometimes anonymous, of other 
nations.
  Some observers have suggested that the U.N. should remove the United 
States from the U.N. Kick the United States out, they say. I have an 
alternative suggestion: Certain members of the U.N. should be led to 
the gate that leads to the road out of the country. They might be 
advised to follow that road if they are unable and are unwilling to 
assume the mantle of responsible leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, meanwhile, the liberation of Iraq advances, as we 
continue to keep our troops and their families and the troops of our 
neighbors and their families in our thoughts and prayers.

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