Cooksey Opposed To Attacks On Iraq

The Advocate (Baton Rouge) Online ^ | 9/5/02 | Bruce Schultz

[A2J]

LAFAYETTE -- Dr. John Cooksey, Republican congressman and U.S. Senate candidate, said Wednesday that more evidence of terrorist involvement is needed to justify a U.S. attack against Iraq.

"With the intelligence information I have, I'm a little reluctant to go in and do indiscriminate bombing or even smart bombing," Cooksey told the Lafayette Chapter of the American Association of Drilling Engineers.

He said his reluctance is because of the likelihood of civilian casualties.

"I don't want to go in and kill a lot of innocent people," he said.

Cooksey said he worked as an eye doctor in Africa, treating victims of a civil war, and served as a reconnaissance pilot in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Many in the Bush administration who favor military action in Iraq have never been in the military, he said, while those hesitant, such as former Gen. Colin Powell, know war firsthand.

Cooksey said he voted against bombing in Yugoslavia for the same reasons.

After his remarks, Cooksey said in an interview that he does not believe Bush should be required to get congressional approval before taking military action against Iraq.

Cooksey said it's likely that Saddam Hussein has chemical and biological weapons that he would use against the U.S. "if he could get them into this country," and it's assumed that he's also trying to get nuclear armaments. Cooksey said it's likely that oil prices would increase sharply if the U.S. attacked Iraq.

Cooksey said Republicans are good for the oil and gas industry, but Democrats want to impose more regulations and taxes, and expose companies to litigation by trial lawyers.

Cooksey said his opponent in the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, and U.S. Sen. John Breaux, D-Crowley, voted for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but they also voted for Tom Daschle as Senate Majority Leader, and he is opposed to drilling in ANWR.

"Tom Daschle is not a friend of the oil and gas industry," Cooksey said. "Tom Dashcle is quite frankly beginning to make Ted Kennedy look like a good guy."

[A2J]

Many in the Bush administration who favor military action in Iraq have never been in the military, he said, while those hesitant, such as former Gen. Colin Powell, know war firsthand.

And Cooksey wants to be Louisiana's next senator? LOL!

[Thane_Banquo]

Methinks hesitant Republicans like Cooksey et al will come around once Bush starts releasing the evidence against Saddam. Nothing wrong with wanting evidence. Just be patient. Bush will come through.

[Psalm 73]

"Many in the Bush administration who favor military action in Iraq have never been in the military..."

Um, the point being?
In case he forgot, our military is controlled by CIVILIANS, and for a good reason...

[Kermit]

There's no shortage of evidence in the public domain. Saddam has Salman Pak, a terrorist training camp with a Boeing 707 to train hijacers. Saddam was involved in the '93 WTC bombing. He's doing everything he can to build nukes and has biological and chemical weapons.

If Cooksey doesn't know this stuff, he's incompetent. If Cooksey knows this stuff and then says what he did, he's a phony, sucking up to the liberal media. My conclusion: Cooksey a phony, beating up on Bush to build himself up, ie he's a jerk.