[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 4086-4087]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           STATE OF THE UNION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 12, 2003

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following article to be 
included in the Record:

                [From the New York Times, Jan. 30, 2003]

     What the World Hears When the President Speaks; Calming Fears

                            (By Bill Emmott)

       Before President Bush's State of the Union address, worry 
     about war and suspicion of America were the prevailing views 
     in the outside world. After his address, worry and

[[Page 4087]]

     suspicion still prevail. But there is now hope that the 
     suspicion, at least, could soon ease.
       Don't misunderstand. I have long supported America's effort 
     to enforce the United Nations resolutions calling on Saddam 
     Hussein to disarm, and have felt that only under an ever-
     nearing threat of war was there any chance that this might be 
     achieved, peacefully or otherwise. Few of my fellow Europeans 
     (and surprisingly few Britons) have felt the same. Every time 
     they have seen Mr. Bush speaking informally about this issue, 
     their fears and suspicions have grown. However, every time 
     they have seen him make a big, formal speech (as at the 
     United Nations in September and before Congress on Tuesday) 
     they have felt reassured.
       This time, the reassurance did not come from his 
     deliberately reassuring gestures, such as the promise to put 
     up $15 billion to combat H.I.V. and AIDS in Africa and the 
     Caribbean or the $1.2 billion for research into pollution-
     free cars. It came from his announcement that on Feb. 5 
     Secretary of State Colin Powell would reveal evidence of 
     Iraq's weapons concealment to the Security Council.
       It was reassuring because it suggests that some proof 
     exists. Admittedly, the lust for evidence represents a sort 
     of mass self-delusion, a belief that somehow the 1990's 
     didn't happen and that no weapons programs were found then. 
     It also represents topsy-turvy thinking: that the burden of 
     proof is on Mr. Bush, not Saddam Hussein. Still, such 
     thinking is a reality that the White House needs to face.
       Such evidence is not needed on technical, moral or legal 
     grounds. But it is needed to secure a broad coalition, which 
     in turn is highly desirable if the risks of war--and an 
     unstable aftermath of war--are to be reduced. At least from 
     this vantage point in London, the recent opposition to war 
     heard from France and Russia looks shallow. Some credible, 
     publicly usable evidence is all that is needed for them to be 
     able to back a second United Nations resolution and even to 
     offer military support.
       Following President Bush's address, therefore, an extremely 
     favorable situation looks to be within America's grasp--a 
     broad coalition and a second resolution, both just at the 
     time when the military buildup is reaching its peak. Saddam 
     Hussein, no doubt, will have fresh delaying tactics up his 
     sleeve, such as apparent, partial admissions or concessions 
     about weapons programs with which he will hope to sow new 
     divisions and confusion. The wider the coalition against him, 
     and the shorter the time he has available, the lower will be 
     his chances of success.
  The president's speech brought that prospect closer. Now Colin Powell 
must clinch it.

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