Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy
On The President’s Address To The United Nations
About Iraq
Sept. 12, 2002

"The President’s visit to the United Nations is important and I commend him for it.   He did a good job of describing the long history of Saddam Hussein's deception and defiance of the United Nations.   That history is well known, and the international community cannot ignore it.  In his speech Thursday, the President helped advance the case for UN action.

“Though the President said little about how we can most effectively ensure compliance with UN resolutions and disarm Iraq, his speech can be the first step in an international effort to achieve those goals.  Unless there is evidence of imminent harm to the United States, the President should seek, through the UN, the unconditional return of UN weapons inspectors to document and dismantle Iraq's weapons programs.  If Iraq again refuses to comply with UN demands, there will be a much stronger case to pursue forced inspections or military action.   

“There is no doubt that our military alone could topple the Iraqi regime, but a precipitous, unilateral attack could do irreparable damage to U.S. efforts to eliminate al Queda and other international terrorist organizations.  It also could harm other U.S. national interests, including the work to promote peace in the Middle East.” 

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