[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 41 (Monday, October 14, 2002)]
[Page 1702]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

October 5, 2002

    Good morning. This week leaders of the Congress agreed on a strong 
bipartisan resolution authorizing the use of force, if necessary, to 
disarm Saddam Hussein and to defend the peace. Now both the House and 
the Senate will have an important debate and an historic vote. Speaker 
Hastert and Leader Gephardt and Leader Lott did tremendous work in 
building bipartisan support on this vital issue.
    The danger to America from the Iraqi regime is grave and growing. 
The regime is guilty of beginning two wars. It has a horrible history of 
striking without warning. In defiance of pledges to the United Nations, 
Iraq has stockpiled biological and chemical weapons and is rebuilding 
the facilities used to make more of those weapons. Saddam Hussein has 
used these weapons of death against innocent Iraqi people, and we have 
every reason to believe he will use them again.
    Iraq has longstanding ties to terrorist groups, which are capable of 
and willing to deliver weapons of mass death. And Iraq is ruled by 
perhaps the world's most brutal dictator, who has already committed 
genocide with chemical weapons, ordered the torture of children, and 
instituted the systematic rape of the wives and daughters of his 
political opponents.
    We cannot leave the future of peace and the security of America in 
the hands of this cruel and dangerous man. This dictator must be 
disarmed, and all the United Nations resolutions against his brutality 
and support for terrorism must be enforced.
    The United States does not desire military conflict, because we know 
the awful nature of war. Our country values life, and we will never seek 
war unless it is essential to security and justice. We hope that Iraq 
complies with the world's demands. If, however, the Iraqi regime 
persists in its defiance, the use of force may become unavoidable. 
Delay, indecision, and inaction are not options for America, because 
they could lead to massive and sudden horror.
    Should force be required to bring Saddam to account, the United 
States will work with other nations to help the Iraqi people rebuild and 
form a just government. We have no quarrel with the Iraqi people. They 
are the daily victims of Saddam Hussein's oppression, and they will be 
the first to benefit when the world's demands are met.
    American security, the safety of our friends, and the values of our 
country lead us to confront this gathering threat. By supporting the 
resolution now before them, Members of Congress will send a clear 
message to Saddam: His only choice is to fully comply with the demands 
of the world. And the time for that choice is limited. Supporting this 
resolution will also show the resolve of the United States and will help 
spur the United Nations to act.
    I urge Americans to call their Members of Congress to make sure your 
voice is heard. The decision before Congress cannot be more 
consequential. I'm confident that members of both political parties will 
choose wisely.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 9 a.m. on October 4 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on October 5. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
October 4 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office 
of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of 
this address.