[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 63 (Friday, May 7, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E789-E790]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  STATEMENT ON IRAN AND SMART SECURITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 2004

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn Iran's continued 
pursuit of nuclear weapons and its failure to disclose nuclear 
enrichment projects to the international atomic energy agency. Surely 
the United States must utilize its influence as the world's largest 
democracy to encourage countries that have signed the Nuclear 
Nonproliferation Treaty--like Iran--to forego the pursuit of new 
nuclear weapons. However, there is a right way and there is a wrong way 
to register our influence in situations like this.
  In October of last year, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, 
and the United Kingdom met in Tehran to negotiate the possibility of 
IAEA inspections of Iran's nuclear sites. Iran agreed to this deal. In 
the months since the Tehran summit, inspectors have found several sites 
that seem to have some connection to the production of nuclear 
materials. That means the inspections have been at the very least 
reasonably successful.
  Today Congress voted on H. Con. Res. 398, a resolution condemning 
Iran's nuclear activities. This resolution demands that Iran 
immediately cease all efforts to acquire nuclear enrichment activities 
and calls for the country to honor its stated commitments to grant IAEA 
inspectors unrestricted access to nuclear sites. But the resolution 
also calls upon all state parties to the Nuclear Nonproliferation 
Treaty--including the United States--to use ``all appropriate means to 
deter, dissuade, and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.''
  Doesn't anyone remember the last time we provided someone with the 
authority to use all means ``necessary and appropriate?'' In case 
you've forgotten, let me remind you: When we granted President Bush the 
authority to use all means ``necessary and appropriate,'' he lead us 
into a devastating conflict in Iraq, one which has already cost the 
lives of over 740 Americans and thousands of unarmed, innocent Iraqi 
civilians. Supporting another resolution that promotes the use of ``all 
appropriate means'' is like giving your kid the keys to the car after 
he's already wrecked it once. Even if this bill doesn't authorize the 
use of force against Iran, codifying the language of pre-emptive war is 
a dangerously slippery slope to tread.
  We need to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and 
keeping the American people safe must be our highest priority. But we 
must avoid equating our security with aggression and military force. 
There has to be a better way, and there is. One that emphasizes brains 
instead of brawn. One that is consistent with American values. I have 
introduced legislation to create a SMART Security Platform for the 
21st Century. SMART stands for ``Sensible, Multilateral American 
Response to Terrorism'' and it calls for aggressive diplomacy, a 
commitment to nuclear nonproliferation, strong regional security 
arrangements and vigorous inspection regimes.

  SMART security advocates maintaining our commitment to existing 
international treaties, like the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, the 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the Biological Weapons Convention, and 
the Chemical Weapons Convention. SMART Security promotes adequately 
funding programs like the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which 
works with the Russian Federation and the states of the former Soviet 
Union to dismantle nuclear warheads, reduce nuclear stockpiles, and 
secure nuclear weapons in Russia. And we must replicate this type of 
program in other troubled regions, like Iran, because in the long

[[Page E790]]

run, negotiating with other countries will keep us much safer than 
scaring them into submission.
  The Bush doctrine has been tried, and it has failed. It's time for a 
new national security strategy. SMART Security defends America by 
relying on the very best of America--our commitment to peace and 
freedom, our compassion for the people of the world, and our capacity 
for multilateral leadership. SMART Security is tough, pragmatic and 
patriotic. SMART Security is smart, and it will keep America safe.

                          ____________________