[Peace] From Sen. Fitzgerald

[Kranich, Kimberlie]

Anybody else get this?

Kimberlie

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Senator_Fitzgerald at Fitzgerald.senate.gov
> [mailto:Senator_Fitzgerald at Fitzgerald.senate.gov]
> Sent: Friday, October 04, 2002 1:35 PM
> To: kranich at will.uiuc.edu
> Subject: About your e-mail message ( Ticket# 
> 09162002P33380002:AR0001 )
> 
> 
> Thank you for contacting me regarding relations with Iraq.
> I appreciate hearing from you and would like to take this
> opportunity to respond.
> 
> In 1979, Saddam Hussein rose to power in Iraq as the leader
> of the Baathist party.  The Iraqi government under Hussein
> is a highly repressive, one-party authoritarian
> dictatorship that has been cited repeatedly by human rights
> groups and the U.S. State Department as one of the worst
> violators of human rights among the countries of the
> world.  In 1980, Iraq under Hussein invaded the neighboring
> country of Iran and conducted a brutal eight-year war,
> during which Iraq used chemical weapons against both Iran
> and the Kurdish minority in Northern Iraq, killing
> thousands with these weapons.
> 
> On August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein launched an Iraqi
> invasion of neighboring Kuwait.  The U.N. Security Council
> immediately adopted Resolution 660 condemning the invasion
> and demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of
> Iraq's forces from Kuwait.  When Iraq failed to comply with
> this resolution, the Security Council adopted Resolution
> 678 demanding full Iraqi compliance with Resolution 660 and
> authorizing the use of "all necessary means" to force
> compliance after January 15, 1991.
> 
> On January 12, 1991, following an extensive international
> military build-up in the Middle East, Congress approved a
> joint resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq
> pursuant to Security Council resolutions.  Five days later,
> on January 17, 1991, the United States and an international
> coalition of nations launched Operation Desert Storm with
> the objective of removing Iraqi forces from Kuwait.  On
> March 3, 1991, Iraq -- having been forced to abandon the
> territory it overran in Kuwait -- agreed to the terms of a
> cease-fire offered by the allied forces.
> 
> Since the cease-fire, Iraq has repeatedly violated a series
> of Security Council resolutions designed to ensure that
> Iraq submits to U.N. inspections, abides by the cease-fire
> agreement, dismantles its extensive weapons of mass
> destruction (WMD) programs, and returns Kuwaiti and other
> nations' POWs, missing persons, and property seized during
> the Gulf War.  The United Nations has found Iraq in
> ?material breach of cease-fire terms? on seven occasions,
> particularly concerning U.N.-established no-fly zones and
> the WMD inspections regime.
> 
> On April 3, 1991, Security Council Resolution 687
> established a program to identify and dismantle Iraq's
> programs to develop WMD and missiles capable of delivering
> the weapons at great distances.  The U.N. Special
> Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic
> Energy Agency were charged with ensuring compliance with
> this resolution through inspections in Iraq.  Over the
> course of the next seven years, the Iraqi regime obstructed
> and deceived U.N. weapons inspectors.  The inspectors
> uncovered WMD stockpiles and development and production
> facilities, despite the regime's claims it had no such
> programs.  On November 11, 1998, following Iraq's
> announcement that it was prohibiting all UNSCOM
> inspections, weapons inspections in Iraq ceased.  Under
> increasing international pressure, Iraq agreed to allow
> inspectors full access, but then resumed obstructing their
> operations.  The United Nations withdrew the inspectors on
> December 15, 1998.  One day later, U.S. and British
> military
> forces launched Operation D
> 
> esert Fox -- a three-day series of air strikes aimed at
> destroying suspected WMD facilities.  Over the next four
> years, Iraq refused to admit weapons inspectors under the
> terms set forth by the Security Council.
> 
> The international community has pressured Iraq to cooperate
> with U.N.-mandated inspections through an international
> economic embargo.  This international embargo --
> established immediately following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait
> in 1990 -- currently allows Iraq to export unlimited
> quantities of oil to finance humanitarian needs, including
> food, medicine, and infrastructure repair materials.  Under
> the sanctions regime, Iraq is prohibited from importing
> arms or weapons-related technology.
> 
> Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the
> Bush administration expressed concern that Iraq is actively
> pursuing WMD technology in violation of the terms of the
> 1991 cease-fire and subsequent U.N. resolutions.  In his
> annual State of the Union address on January 29, 2002,
> President Bush identified Iraq -- one of seven states
> designated by the U.S. Department of State as sponsors of
> international terrorism -- as a security concern for the
> United States.  In an address to the United Nations on
> September 12, 2002, President Bush further outlined his
> concerns, emphasizing Iraq's repeated defiance of U.N.
> mandates and pursuit of WMD technology, and calling on the
> United Nations to enforce its resolutions regarding Iraq.
> 
> In the coming weeks, Congress may consider a resolution
> authorizing the use of force against Iraq.  On September
> 19, 2002, President Bush submitted to Congress a draft
> resolution authorizing the president to use "all means he
> determines to be appropriate, including force" to enforce
> the U.N. resolutions, defend U.S. national security
> interests against the Iraqi threat, and "restore
> international peace and security in the region."  Members
> of Congress have offered several different draft
> resolutions authorizing the use of force in Iraq that place
> greater limitations on presidential action than provided in
> the administration's draft.
> 
> As with all cases of international intervention, I am
> sympathetic to the guiding tenets of the Powell Doctrine
> regarding the deployment of our armed forces.  Developed by
> then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell,
> this doctrine supports the deployment of American troops
> only when our vital national interests are at stake.  The
> deployment of our troops should be done with a clear
> assessment of the opposing forces, an understanding of the
> ramifications of involvement, and the formulation of an
> exit strategy.  When American troops engage in foreign
> hostilities in appropriate instances, they should do so
> with decisive force to ensure victory and a quick
> conclusion.
> 
> Keeping in mind the Powell Doctrine, I have great concern
> about the Iraqi regime and believe it may be necessary to
> act.  Based on information presented to me in classified
> intelligence briefings, I believe that regime change in
> Iraq may be the only way to end the threat Saddam Hussein
> poses to the United States and the world.  I agree with the
> president's decision to try to seek international support
> for any effort against Iraq, but I do not believe our
> decision should necessarily hinge on the endorsement of the
> United Nations.  It would be preferable to have U.N.
> support, but we may not have the luxury of engaging in a
> protracted debate at the United Nations.
> I share President Bush's assessment that Iraqi disarmament
> must be the objective.  I question whether weapons
> inspectors alone can achieve that goal, and I am cautious
> about a lengthy inspections regime that could inadvertently
> give Saddam more time to stockpile and conceal weapons of
> mass destruction.  The Bush administration officials I met
> with made a convincing case for decisive and timely action
> against Hussein.  Clearly there are risks involved, but the
> risks of doing nothing could be far greater.
> 
> Clearly, there are very complex and serious discussions
> ahead.  I am happy to share with you my initial thoughts,
> and I will keep your comments and concerns in mind as the
> Senate considers a resolution authorizing U.S. military
> action against Iraq, as well as any other legislation
> pertaining to the Iraqi regime.
> 
> Again, thank you for contacting me.  If you have any
> additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to
> contact me or visit my website at
> http://fitzgerald.senate.gov.
> 
> Very truly yours,
> 
> Peter G. Fitzgerald
> United States Senator
> 
> PGF/jkg
> 
> P.S. I am pleased to invite you to be my guest at a weekly
> constituent breakfast if you are ever in Washington.
> Senator Durbin and I welcome our constituents at 8:30 a.m.
> every Thursday that the Senate is in session for a
> continental breakfast and a discussion of the issues that
> affect Illinois and the nation.  Please call my office at
> (202) 224-2854 for more details.
> 
> ________
> This transmission is intended only for the use of the
> person or office to whom it is addressed and may contain
> information that is privileged, confidential, or protected
> by law.  All others are hereby notified that receipt of
> this message does not waive any applicable privilege or
> exemption from disclosure and that any dissemination,
> distribution, or copying of this communication is
> prohibited.
> 
> 
>