Cheney Sees 'Gathering Danger' in Iraq (requires urgent, deliberate and decisive response)

reuters ^ | 6/20/2002 | reuters

[TLBSHOW]

Cheney Sees 'Gathering Danger' in Iraq

June 20

— DETROIT (Reuters) -

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein represents a "gathering danger" to the United States, Vice President Dick Cheney said on Thursday, while warning that Washington will act preemptively against threats of terrorism.

"We are greatly concerned about any possible linkup between terrorists and regimes that have or seek weapons of mass destruction," said Cheney. "In the case of Saddam Hussein, we've got a dictator who is clearly pursuing and already possesses some of these weapons," he said.

"A regime that hates America and everything we stand for must never be permitted to threaten America with weapons of mass destruction," the vice president added, referring to Saddam and the Iraqi forces he fought as defense minister under President Bush's father during the Gulf War in 1991.

Cheney, who spoke at a political fund-raiser here, stopped short of saying there were any established ties between Baghdad and the al Qaeda network, or the Sept. 11 attacks that took about 3,000 U.S. lives.

But he said the possibility of such links was too great to ignore, especially in light of Saddam's defiance of U.N. weapons inspection programs and international oversight.

"This gathering danger requires the most urgent, deliberate and decisive response," he said.

"It is very clear that our enemies are determined to do further significant damage to the American people," Cheney said, citing recent intelligence reports.

"Wars are not won on the defensive," he added. "We must take the battle to the enemy anywhere necessary, to preempt greater stress to our country," he said.

[Bounceback]

"'This gathering danger requires the most urgent, deliberate and decisive response,' he said. 'It is very clear that our enemies are determined to do further significant damage to the American people,' Cheney said, citing recent intelligence reports. 'Wars are not won on the defensive,' he added. 'We must take the battle to the enemy anywhere necessary, to preempt greater stress to our country,' he said.

So what are we waiting for?

[NetValue]

It's time for the Administration to present all the facts about Iraq, including Iraq's behind-the-scenes involvement in terrorist activities against us. That done, a declaration of war must follow. The Administration should not act against Iraq unilaterally.