Senate Floor Speech - Feb. 12/03

[CatPhish]

Published on Wednesday, February 12, 2003

Reckless Administration

May Reap Disastrous Consequences

Senate Floor Speech - Wednesday, February 12, 2003

by US Senator Robert Byrd

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.