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CONFRONTING SADDAM HUSSEIN

Congress has no greater responsibility than to provide for our nation's defense. And no decision we make requires more careful consideration than the authorization of the use of armed forces, which may send America's sons and daughters into harm's way.

After experiencing the aftermath of the tragic 1993 battle in Mogadishu, Somalia that claimed the lives of 18 American servicemen, I have expressed grave reservations about sending our troops where no clear U.S. security interest is at stake. In the cases of our deployments to Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo, I consistently called on the President to come to Congress and make the case to the American people.

After the tragic events of September 11th, Congress authorized President Bush to use force to destroy the terrorists responsible for the horrific attack.

Now President Bush has asked Congress for authorization to use military force to deal with the threat Saddam Hussein poses with weapons of mass destruction. We must once again answer the quesion: What is the U.S. security interest? Why Saddam? Why now?

I doubt there is anyone in America who doesn't feel as I do: If we could have prevented September 11th, we certainly would have. We didn't have warning and we paid a heavy price. I believe this experience has led our President to think differently about protecting our homeland.

I believe he doesn't want to wait until an enemy is finished building his deadly arsenal and is ready to attack from a position of strength. It is one thing to turn three commercial airliners into weapons of mass destruction. It is another to have a nuclear missile ready to deploy or to arm unmanned aerial vehicles with anthrax ready to ship anywhere in the world.

Each generation of Americans has been called to defend our freedom. Each time, our forefathers and mothers have answered the call. Our generation's time of national trial has come. We are being called to stop a new kind of enemy - one that is spread throughout the world, even within our borders.

This enemy purposely kills itself in order to harm others. It is patient, building its resources, and striking when and where we are least prepared, using a different method each time. This enemy requires a new kind of defense. Deterrence alone is not enough.

America has learned hard and valuable lessons in the past few years. The first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center occurred in 1993, a bombing that killed six Americans and injured more than a thousand. What did we do?

Our nation finally was awakened and put the pattern together, to see the threat to the very freedom we cherish. We are now fighting terrorism - and we must follow through.

The President has asked for authority to meet this threat. Congress gave him the wide latitude to root out terrorism. Along with our allies, we are doing that job in Afghanistan.

So why Iraq? Why now? Because we have learned the lessons of complacency; of not being prepared. The President is saying, "Do we wait for the attack or do we take steps to prevent it?" Our post-September 11th defense strategy demands we prevent it.

If all diplomatic efforts fail and if U.N. weapons inspectors are not allowed unfettered access to suspected sites, our President wants to be able to take away Saddam's means to destroy us. It is our responsibility to give the President the authorization he needs.

The question of whether the security of the U.S. is threatened has been answered - and the answer is yes. The consequences of inaction are unconscionable, and we must act now, before we once again realize it is too late.
October 11, 2002