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 ma! ny 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.