For Immediate Release

October 10, 2002

Remarks of U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks
In Support of House Joint Resolution 114

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mr. Speaker:  I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 114, which expresses the support of Congress for the efforts to enforce the United Nations Security Council resolutions mandating the disarmament of Iraq .  Passage of this measure by the Congress will authorize the President to use American military forces to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq .  

Let me state at the outset that it is my judgment that the situation in Iraq is very serious and very perilous.  I have served on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for 24 years, and on the Intelligence Committee for eight of those years.  I have thus had a continuing interest in the campaign of deceit waged by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ever since the day he agreed to abandon his weapons of mass destruction following the Gulf War.  Based on the briefings I have had, and based on the information provided by our intelligence agencies to Members of Congress, I now believe there is credible evidence that Saddam Hussein has developed sophisticated chemical and biological weapons, and that he may be close to developing a nuclear weapon.  And furthermore, I believe he will not hesitate to use these and any other weapons he has in his arsenal against America and against our interests in the Middle East region.  

The CIA’s most recent report on Iraq clearly indicates that, after the ejection of weapons inspectors in 1998, Iraq continued its chemical weapons program, energized its missile program, and invested more heavily in biological weapons.   Furthermore, Iraq 's growing ability to sell oil –despite the ban-- increases Baghdad 's capabilities to finance weapons of mass destruction programs.  Using these funds, it largely has rebuilt the missile and biological weapons facilities that were damaged during Operation Desert Fox and has expanded its chemical and biological infrastructure under the cover of civilian production.  The Iraqis have also exceeded UN range limits of 150 kilometers for their ballistic missiles and they are also developing unmanned aerial vehicles, which could allow for a more effective and more lethal means to deliver biological and chemical warfare agents.  

Beyond these weapons programs, there is the question of nuclear weapons.  In 1991, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency uncovered a secret Iraqi effort to build nuclear weapons after they intercepted a shipment of trucks loaded with huge electromagnetic isotope separators used to make weapons-grade uranium.  These inspectors remained on the ground, working with U.N. arms inspectors, until the day they were thrown out of Iraq by Saddam Hussein, flagrantly violating the terms of the disarmament agreements he signed to save himself in the Gulf War cease fire.  Since 1998, there is credible evidence that he has attempted to purchase uranium and the hardware necessary to produce the kind of weapon that could inflict infinitely greater damage than any of the destruction we witnessed on September 11th of last year.  There can be no doubt that Saddam Hussein represents a growing menace.  In the four years since he expelled United Nations arms inspectors from Iraq , he has become an emboldened dictator whose hatred of the United States has only grown stronger as he has regained his military capability. 

I believe that it is extremely important that we continue our diplomatic efforts to gain international support for action.  Saddam Hussein has blatantly violated 16 important UN Resolutions as he has continued the arms buildup he pledged to curtail.  With the growing threat of those weapons, with the assistance Iraq is providing to terrorist groups -- including al Qaeda -- and with the compelling need to assert the authority of the international community, President Bush has appropriately urged the UN to enforce the sanctions that its members have approved over the last 11 years.  I believe H.J.Res. 114 -- by showing Congress’s strong support for the President’s position on the issue -- will substantially strengthen our effort to develop a consensus at the United Nations for a new and stronger resolution demanding the verifiable removal of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. 

I believe that it is important, in the language of our Joint Resolution in Congress, to emphasize that we are determined in this cause:  that if these efforts to build an international coalition are not successful, we believe that the United States must still take action, joined by the British and other nations who support us already, to ensure that Iraq is never able to use the weapons of mass destruction it has and those it is actively developing.  In my judgment, the possibility of Saddam Hussein using these weapons against U.S. targets or our allies in the region justifies the commitment of American military forces, however much I truly hope that diplomatic efforts can succeed and that war can be avoided.  

Mr. Speaker.  For our own safety and national security, I believe that we should support the position that the President expressed at the United Nations last month.  It is time for action.  We can no longer ignore the reality of what Saddam Hussein is doing and we should no longer postpone our response to the growing dangers of his weapons programs.  I urge my colleagues to vote for H.J.Res. 114.

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