Reckless Administration May Reap Disastrous Consequences   

by US Senator Robert Byrd  
Senate Floor Speech - Wednesday, February 12, 2003   

To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human 
experiences. On this February day, as this nation stands at the brink of 
battle, every American on some level must be contemplating the horrors 
of war.   

Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent -- ominously, dreadfully 
silent. There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the 
nation the pros and cons of this particular war. There is nothing.   

We stand passively mute in the United States Senate, paralyzed by our 
own uncertainty, seemingly stunned by the sheer turmoil of events. 
Only on the editorial pages of our newspapers is there much substantive 
discussion of the prudence or imprudence of engaging in this particular 
war.   

And this is no small conflagration we contemplate. This is no simple 
attempt to defang a villain. No. This coming battle, if it materializes, 
represents a turning point in U.S. foreign policy and possibly a turning 
point in the recent history of the world.   

This nation is about to embark upon the first test of a revolutionary 
doctrine applied in an extraordinary way at an unfortunate time. The 
doctrine of preemption -- the idea that the United States or any other 
nation can legitimately attack a nation that is not imminently 
threatening but may be threatening in the future -- is a radical new twist 
on the traditional idea of self defense. It appears to be in contravention 
of international law and the UN Charter. And it is being tested at a time 
of world-wide terrorism, making many countries around the globe 
wonder if they will soon be on our -- or some other nation's -- hit list. 
High level Administration figures recently refused to take nuclear 
weapons off of the table when discussing a possible attack against Iraq. 
What could be more destabilizing and unwise than this type of 
uncertainty, particularly in a world where globalism has tied the vital 
economic and security interests of many nations so closely together? 
There are huge cracks emerging in our time-honored alliances, and U.S. 
intentions are suddenly subject to damaging worldwide speculation. Anti-
Americanism based on mistrust, misinformation, suspicion, and 
alarming rhetoric from U.S. leaders is fracturing the once solid alliance 
against global terrorism which existed after September 11.   

Here at home, people are warned of imminent terrorist attacks with 
little guidance as to when or where such attacks might occur. Family 
members are being called to active military duty, with no idea of the 
duration of their stay or what horrors they may face. Communities are 
being left with less than adequate police and fire protection. Other 
essential services are also short-staffed. The mood of the nation is 
grim. The economy is stumbling. Fuel prices are rising and may soon 
spike higher.   

This Administration, now in power for a little over two years, must 
be judged on its record. I believe that that record is dismal.   

In that scant two years, this Administration has squandered a large 
projected surplus of some $5.6 trillion over the next decade and taken 
us to projected deficits as far as the eye can see. This Administration's 
domestic policy has put many of our states in dire financial condition, 
under funding scores of essential programs for our people. This 
Administration has fostered policies which have slowed economic 
growth. This Administration has ignored urgent matters such as the 
crisis in health care for our elderly. This Administration has been slow 
to provide adequate funding for homeland security. This Administration 
has been reluctant to better protect our long and porous borders.   

In foreign policy, this Administration has failed to find Osama bin Laden. 
In fact, just yesterday we heard from him again marshaling his forces 
and urging them to kill. This Administration has split traditional 
alliances, possibly crippling, for all time, International order-keeping 
entities like the United Nations and NATO. This Administration has 
called into question the traditional worldwide perception of the United 
States as well-intentioned, peacekeeper. This Administration has turned 
the patient art of diplomacy into threats, labeling, and name calling of 
the sort that reflects quite poorly on the intelligence and sensitivity of 
our leaders, and which will have consequences for years to come.   

Calling heads of state pygmies, labeling whole countries as evil, 
denigrating powerful European allies as irrelevant -- these types of 
crude insensitivities can do our great nation no good. We may have massive 
military might, but we cannot fight a global war on terrorism alone. We 
need the cooperation and friendship of our time-honored allies as well as 
the newer found friends whom we can attract with our wealth. Our 
awesome military machine will do us little good if we suffer another 
devastating attack on our homeland which severely damages our 
economy. Our military manpower is already stretched thin and we will 
need the augmenting support of those nations who can supply troop 
strength, not just sign letters cheering us on.   

The war in Afghanistan has cost us $37 billion so far, yet there is 
evidence that terrorism may already be starting to regain its hold in 
that region. We have not found bin Laden, and unless we secure the peace 
in Afghanistan, the dark dens of terrorism may yet again flourish in that 
remote and devastated land.   

Pakistan as well is at risk of destabilizing forces. This Administration 
has not finished the first war against terrorism and yet it is eager to 
embark on another conflict with perils much greater than those in 
Afghanistan. Is our attention span that short? Have we not learned that 
after winning the war one must always secure the peace?   

And yet we hear little about the aftermath of war in Iraq. In the absence 
of plans, speculation abroad is rife. Will we seize Iraq's oil fields, 
becoming an occupying power which controls the price and supply of 
that nation's oil for the foreseeable future? To whom do we propose to 
hand the reigns of power after Saddam Hussein?   

Will our war inflame the Muslim world resulting in devastating attacks 
on Israel? Will Israel retaliate with its own nuclear arsenal? Will the 
Jordanian and Saudi Arabian governments be toppled by radicals, 
bolstered by Iran which has much closer ties to terrorism than Iraq?   

Could a disruption of the world's oil supply lead to a world-wide 
recession? Has our senselessly bellicose language and our callous 
disregard of the interests and opinions of other nations increased 
the global race to join the nuclear club and made proliferation an 
even more lucrative practice for nations which need the income?   

In only the space of two short years this reckless and arrogant 
Administration has initiated policies which may reap disastrous 
consequences for years.   

One can understand the anger and shock of any President after the 
savage attacks of September 11. One can appreciate the frustration 
of having only a shadow to chase and an amorphous, fleeting enemy on 
which it is nearly impossible to exact retribution.   

But to turn one's frustration and anger into the kind of extremely 
destabilizing and dangerous foreign policy debacle that the world is 
currently witnessing is inexcusable from any Administration charged 
with the awesome power and responsibility of guiding the destiny of 
the greatest superpower on the planet. Frankly many of the 
pronouncements made by this Administration are outrageous. 
There is no other word.   

Yet this chamber is hauntingly silent. On what is possibly the eve of 
horrific infliction of death and destruction on the population of the 
nation of Iraq -- a population, I might add, of which over 50% is under 
age 15 -- this chamber is silent. On what is possibly only days before 
we send thousands of our own citizens to face unimagined horrors of 
chemical and biological warfare -- this chamber is silent. On the eve 
of what could possibly be a vicious terrorist attack in retaliation 
for our attack on Iraq, it is business as usual in the United States 
Senate.   

We are truly "sleepwalking through history." In my heart of hearts 
I pray that this great nation and its good and trusting citizens are 
not in for a rudest of awakenings.  

To engage in war is always to pick a wild card. And war must always be 
a last resort, not a first choice. I truly must question the judgment 
of any President who can say that a massive unprovoked military attack 
on a nation which is over 50% children is "in the highest moral traditions 
of our country". This war is not necessary at this time. Pressure 
appears to be having a good result in Iraq. Our mistake was to put 
ourselves in a corner so quickly. Our challenge is to now find a 
graceful way out of a box of our own making. Perhaps there is still 
a way if we allow more time.  

                           -==-

Senator Robert Byrd Floor Speech of 12 Feb 03.doc - From URL:  
http://www.oss.net:80/dynamaster/file_archive/030214/2e121020cf5755c
6f6dd184161b0dc50/Senator%20Robert%20Byrd%20Floor%20Speech%
20of%2012%20Feb%2003.doc


Cheers, Steve..

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