    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [February 7, 1998]
    [Pages 194-195]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    February 7, 1998

        President Clinton. Good morning. Today I am pleased to be joined by
    an honored guest of our Nation, Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom. We are speaking to you from the
    Map Room in the White House, where more than half a century ago
    President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill
    charted our path to victory in World War II.
        As Eleanor Roosevelt said, that was no ordinary time. But neither is
    the new era we are entering. At home, we must prepare all our citizens
    to succeed in the information age. And abroad, we must not only take
    advantage of real new possibilities but combat a new nexus of threats,
    none more dangerous than chemical and biological weapons and the
    terrorists, criminals, and outlaw states that seek to acquire them.
        As we face the challenges of the 21st century, the alliance between
    the United States and the United Kingdom remains unshakable. I'd like to
    ask Prime Minister Blair to say a word about what we have achieved
    together this week.
        Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom. Thank you. And thank you for asking me to share in your
    weekly address to the American people.
        Britain and America have so much in common: language, values, belief
    in family and community, and a real sense of national pride. We share
    many problems, too, and it has been clear from our discussions that we
    are agreed, in general terms, about some of the solutions.
        You took the tough decisions needed for long-term economic
    stability. We are doing so. You have focused on education, welfare
    reform, a

    [[Page 195]]

    new approach to crime. So are we. Together, we are breaking down
    boundaries of left and right and creating a new politics of the radical
    center.
        But no issue has been more pressing in our discussions than the
    threat to world peace and stability posed by Saddam Hussein. I stand
    foursquare with you in our determination to bring Saddam into line with
    the agreement he made at the end of the Gulf war. This is a man who has
    already compiled sufficient chemical and biological weapons to wipe out
    the world's population.
        When he invaded Kuwait, people could see easily a wrong being
    committed. But what he is doing now, in continuing to defy the
    international community, in continuing to develop his program for
    weapons of mass destruction, is potentially far more dangerous. Simply,
    he must be stopped.
        We are pursuing all the diplomatic avenues open to us. But if they
    fail and force is the only way to get him into line, then force must be
    used. If that happens, Britain will be there, as we have been in the
    past, at the forefront in our determination to uphold international
    peace and security.
        President Clinton. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. On Iraq, as on so many issues, the United States and
    Britain speak with one voice.
        Since the end of the Gulf war, the United Nations inspectors in Iraq
    have done a remarkable job. They have found and destroyed 38,000
    chemical weapons, more than 100,000 gallons of the agents used in those
    weapons, 48 missiles, 30 warheads specially fitted for chemical and
    biological weapons, and a large plant for producing deadly biological
    agents on a massive scale.
        But their job is not yet done. Iraq continues to conceal chemical
    and biological weapons and missiles that can deliver them. And Iraq has
    the capacity to quickly restart production of these weapons.
        The United States and Britain are determined to prevent Saddam
    Hussein from threatening the world with
    weapons of mass destruction again. Now, the best way to do that is to
    get the inspectors back on the job, with full and free access to all the
    sites, so they can root out whatever else needs to be destroyed and then
    continue to monitor suspect sites. It's up to Saddam to make that happen. If he doesn't, we must be--and we
    are--prepared to act. As we speak, the British aircraft carrier
    Invincible is patrolling the waters of the Persian Gulf with America's
    5th Fleet. United with our allies abroad, we are also united here at
    home. I thank the many Republicans and Democrats who have expressed
    strong support for our stand against this menace to global security. No
    one should doubt our resolve.
        Throughout the 20th century, the alliance between the United States
    and Britain made all the difference between tyranny and freedom, chaos
    and security. Now, we are turning to face the challenges of a new
    century. And together, we will again prevail.
        Thanks for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 6:40 p.m. on February 6 in the Map
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on February 7. In
    his remarks, the President referred to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.