Congressional Letter on Iraq (12-6-2001)

[stewert]

Look who signed this letter, does the name Lieberman or Ford Jr. ring a bell ?

BTW, this letter is full of lies.

I found this letter while digging around at the PNAC website.

December 6, 2001

MEMORANDUM TO: OPINION LEADERS

FROM: WILLIAM KRISTOL

SUBJECT: Iraq

Yesterday evening, nine leading members of Congress sent a letter to President Bush calling for Saddam Hussein’s
removal from power. As they note, Saddam “cannot be permanently contained.” As long as he is in power, “he will
seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction....We have not doubt that these deadly weapons are intended for
use against the United States and its allies.”

In recent weeks, the president had made it clear that the “war on terrorism” is made even more urgent by the
fact that terrorist states such as Iraq are actively developing nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. The
nexus of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction makes the removal of Saddam key to success in the overall
war on terrorism, and a matter of considerable urgency. This letter should reassure the Bush Administration that
there will be bipartisan politcal support for the president when he moves on to the next crucial phase of the war.

Congressional Letter on Iraq

December 5, 2001

Dear Mr. President:

The events of September 11 have highlighted the vulnerability of the United States to determined terrorists. As
we work to clean up Afghanistan and destroy al Qaeda, it is imperative that we plan to eliminate the threat from
Iraq.

This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since
that time, Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and
nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf war status. In addition, Saddam continues to
refine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles
that will threaten the United States and our allies.

For much of the last year, the Administration has struggled to plug loopholes in the international sanctions
against Iraq. Unfortunately, efforts to coopt Saddam’s illegal trading partners -- particularly Syria -- have failed.
In the meantime, the illegal oil trade from Iraq has flourished, and Saddam now earns an estimated $2 billion
annually, much of which he has devoted to his military and his illegal weapons programs.

If we have learned one thing from the ongoing battle in Afghanistan, it is that working effectively in coordination
with locals on the ground can significantly leverage our own use of military force. While we have no doubt that in
the long run, the United States will always prevail in battle with the likes of the Taliban (not to speak of Saddam
Hussein), we also know that we can minimize casualties and shorten conflict by cooperating with opposition
forces. That has been a key element of US strategy for several decades.

Since the passage of the Iraq Liberation Act three years ago, we have fought to provide support for Iraqis inside
Iraq. The Iraqi National Congress (INC), an umbrella group of all the significant anti?Saddam forces inside Iraq,
has consistently requested Administration assistance for operations on the ground in Iraq ranging from the
delivery of humanitarian assistance and information-gathering to military and technical training and lethal military
drawdown.

Despite the express wishes of the Congress, the INC has been denied U.S. assistance for any operations inside
any part of Iraq, including liberated Kurdish areas. Instead, successive Administrations have funded conferences,
offices and other intellectual exercises that have done little more than expose the INC to accusations of being
“limousine insurgents” and “armchair guerillas.” We note the troubling similarity of these accusation to charges
made against the Afghan guerillas now helping us win the war against the Taliban.

The threat from Iraq is real, and it cannot be permanently contained. For as long as Saddam Hussein is in power
in Baghdad, he will seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. We have no
doubt that these deadly weapons are intended for use against the United States and its allies. Consequently, we
believe we must directly confront Saddam, sooner rather than later. Without allies on the ground inside Iraq, we
will be handicapping our own efforts. Each day that passes costs us an opportunity to unite and professionalize
the Iraqi opposition, thus ensuring it will be less capable when the conflict begins.

<snip>

We look forward to working with you on this most important matter.

Sincerely,

Sen. Trent Lott
Sen. Joseph Lieberman
Sen. John McCain
Sen. Jesse Helms
Sen. Richard Shelby
Sen. Sam Brownback
Rep. Henry Hyde
Rep. Harold Ford, Jr.
Rep. Benjamin Gilman

Full Letter Here:

http://www.newamericancentury.org/congress-120601.htm

[stewert]

1. Then Read This........

PNAC Letter to Bush (September 20, 2001)

Dear Mr. President,

We write to endorse your admirable commitment to “lead the world to victory” in the war against terrorism. We
fully support your call for “a broad and sustained campaign” against the “terrorist organizations and those who
harbor and support them.” We agree with Secretary of State Powell that the United States must find and punish
the perpetrators of the horrific attack of September 11, and we must, as he said, “go after terrorism wherever
we find it in the world” and “get it by its branch and root.” We agree with the Secretary of State that U.S. policy
must aim not only at finding the people responsible for this incident, but must also target those “other groups out
there that mean us no good” and “that have conducted attacks previously against U.S. personnel, U.S. interests
and our allies.”

In order to carry out this “first war of the 21st century” successfully, and in order, as you have said, to do future
“generations a favor by coming together and whipping terrorism,” we believe the following steps are necessary
parts of a comprehensive strategy.

<snip>

It may be that the Iraqi government provided assistance in some form to the recent
attack on the United States. But even if evidence does not link Iraq directly to the attack, any strategy aiming
at the eradication of terrorism and its sponsors must include a determined effort to remove Saddam Hussein from
power in Iraq.

http://www.newamericancentury.org/Bushletter.htm

[jbfam4]

2. why doesn't fair and balanced FAUX

ANNOUNCE when these people appear on their shows that they are members of the PNAC?