[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.
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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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