[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 31 (Thursday, March 11, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H1041-H1042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in an effort to dispel 
continuing myths which have been propagated with regard to the role of 
Iraq in the larger war on terrorism. While many Democrat Members have 
worked hard to promote these myths, it is time that we who know and 
understand the truth come forward to fully explain it.
  Let me be perfectly clear. The war against Iraq is a central 
component in the global fight against terrorism. The Hussein regime's 
support for terrorism, within and outside of its borders, its appetite 
for the world's most dangerous weapons, and its openly declared 
hostility to the United States were a combination that was a gathering 
and growing danger to our country.
  In light of the September 11 terrorist attacks, ending this regime 
was central to the war on terrorism and central to ensuring that more 
attacks on American soil, like the September 11 attacks and the 1993 
World Trade Center bombing, never occur again.

                              {time}  1400

  The Hussein regime established significant and numerous ties with 
terrorist organizations like al Qaeda for over a decade prior to 
September 11, 2001. This included the provision of training, financing 
and sanctuary. In fact, the Iraqi foreign minister admitted in March 
2003 that Iraqi funds were sent to families of Palestinian suicide 
bombers who attacked and killed innocent Israeli citizens, and also 12 
Americans in Israel in 2003. Even the Clinton Administration agreed and 
repeatedly asserted connections between al Qaeda and Iraq, and 
explicitly said that Hussein posed a threat to the United States 
itself.
  By ending the Hussein regime, the United States has taken away yet 
another incubator of terrorism. Terrorist groups benefited for years 
from support of Saddam Hussein and his regime. Further, by acting 
decisively in Iraq, the United States has sent very strong signals to 
other nations that have been or could be terrorist sympathizers. Had 
the United States not acted in Iraq, Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi 
would likely not have declared his weapons programs, submitted to 
international inspections and voluntarily dismantled its programs. In 
addition, it is very likely that United States action in Iraq caused 
Iran to open its nuclear facilities for international inspection and 
suspend its uranium enrichment activities.
  The list goes on and on, from Syria to North Korea. We are seeing 
changes in the way these nations deal with terrorism because of our 
actions in Iraq.
  Those who like to spread misconceptions and myths often point to the 
fact that no weapons of mass destruction have yet been found in post-
war Iraq. They say the President and his administration deceived the 
American people and the international community.
  However, David Kay, our chief weapons inspector, has stated 
repeatedly that it was prudent to attack Iraq, and that as the 
inspection process continues, as it does, we will find that Iraq was 
more dangerous than we actually understood at the time because the 
regime was collapsing and Iraq was a country that had capabilities to 
develop weapons of mass destruction that terrorist groups have sought 
repeatedly.
  Had the Hussein regime lost control completely, Iraq would have 
become a breeding ground for international terrorism, much like 
Afghanistan was under the Taliban, the only difference being that Iraq 
had the wealth and the resources necessary to build weapons that could 
have been directly threatening to the United States and our allies.
  Further, not only the United States, but the French, British, Germans 
and the United Nations all thought Hussein possessed weapons of mass 
destruction before the United States intervened.
  There is also the myth that the United States and our allies 
intervened in Iraq solely based only evidence of weapons of mass 
destruction. This is not true. Again, according to David Kay, Iraq 
clearly was in violation of United Nations Resolution 1441. This 
resolution required Iraq to come clean and report on all of its 
activities.

[[Page H1042]]

  To date, hundreds of cases have been found that show Iraq was engaged 
in activities that were prohibited under that resolution and under the 
initial resolution, 687.
  Our case for war was and remains clear. The majority of the American 
people understand that, the House of Representatives understood that 
when this body agreed in the 107th Congress by passing H.J. Res. 114 by 
a vote of 296 to 133, and our allies around the world understood that 
and continue to share our resolve.
  Clearly, there are those Democrat candidates who are using this 
election year for partisan politics to cloud the truth. These tactics 
will ultimately fail because we all understand that the United States 
is safer today and our citizens are far less likely to be victims of 
domestic terrorist attack because we have removed the Hussein regime 
and are on the way to helping establish and ally in the Middle East.
  Mr. Speaker, it is also important to remember that who made this 
security possible. The thousands of American sailors, soldiers and 
airmen who drove the once powerful dictator to cower in a hole are owed 
the praise of the entire Nation.
  I would ask that all Americans take a moment to think about our 
friends, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers who are serving proudly 
in Iraq and around the world as part of the global war on terrorism. 
They are ensuring our safety and working hard to make sure that another 
day like September 11 never happens again. To Members of our armed 
services, I say thank you. I would also remind them that no matter what 
they hear to the contrary from Democrat politicos, their actions in 
Iraq are justified and necessary.

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