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US Sen. Robert Byrd: 'Today I weep for my country'-- [Iraq]
Reuters | Wednesday, March 19, 2003 | By Thomas Ferraro

Posted on 03/19/2003 8:56:27 PM PST by JohnHuang2

US Sen. Robert Byrd: 'Today I weep for my country'

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - The oldest voice in the U.S. Congress rose Wednesday to offer a final pre-war warning that President Bush's march to battle is dangerously misguided.

"Today I weep for my country," said West Virginia Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd. "No more is the image of America one of strong, yet benevolent peacekeeper. ... Around the globe, our friends mistrust us, our word is disputed, our intentions are questioned.

"We flaunt our superpower status with arrogance," Byrd said, adding: "After war has ended the United States will have to rebuild much more than the country of Iraq. We will have to rebuild America's image around the globe."

Byrd, a leading foe on Capitol Hill of war with Iraq, spoke in a nearly empty Senate chamber about four hours before Bush's 8 p.m. EST deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq or face a U.S.-led invasion.

"May God continue to bless the United States of America in the troubled days ahead, and may we somehow recapture the vision which for the present eludes us," Byrd said.

As the white-haired senator concluded his remarks, a number of people in the visitor's gallery rose and applauded before they were admonished to be quiet.

At 85, Byrd is now the oldest member of Congress as well as the longest serving. He was first elected to the Senate in 1958, after six years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Byrd was among those who voted last year against the congressional resolution that authorized Bush to use force in his showdown with Saddam, and the senator has given frequent floor speeches since then warning against war.

Polls on Wednesday showed strong American support for a war but widespread opposition to it overseas.

"The case this administration tries to make to justify its fixation with war is tainted by charges of falsified documents and circumstantial evidence," Byrd said.

Despite administration suggestions to the contrary, Byrd said, "There is no credible information to connect Saddam Hussein to 9/11."

The senator said, "We cannot convince the world of the necessity of this war for one simple reason. This is a war of choice."

Byrd said that instead of negotiating, Washington demanded obedience or threatened recrimination. "Instead of isolating Saddam Hussein, we seem to have isolated ourselves."

He said many questions about the looming war were unanswered -- including how long it would last, what it would cost, what its ultimate mission was.

"A pall has fallen over the Senate chamber," Byrd said. "We avoid our solemn duty to debate the one topic on the minds of all Americans, even while scores of thousands of our sons and daughters faithfully do their duty in Iraq."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antibush; hallofshame; hypocrisy; lovedclintonswars; robertkkkbyrd; robertsheetsbyrd; senatorrobertbyrd; senatorsheets; shamefulman
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To: JohnHuang2
He should weep. He knows when this is over every leftist in this country as well as leftist countries all over the world will be dealt a blow it will take at least one hundred years to recover from. I love this Plan For A New American Century!!
41 posted on 03/19/2003 10:27:20 PM PST by Davea
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To: JohnHuang2
These Democratic fools. If Gore or Clinton were President on September 11th, we'd hear no end of apologizing for breathing.
42 posted on 03/19/2003 10:49:38 PM PST by Cultural Jihad
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To: JohnHuang2
Good Lord what a raving A-Hole. On the eve of war he runs down this country. A total jerk.
43 posted on 03/19/2003 10:57:20 PM PST by Williams
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To: Otto von Bismark
Around the globe, our friends mistrust us, our word is disputed, our intentions are questioned.

Our mission clear, our enemy engaged, our safety insured, our honor intact, our warriors commited, our victory at hand. I'll take it, senator. Now, sit down and be still, you old coward!
44 posted on 03/19/2003 11:03:43 PM PST by cartoonistx
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To: JohnHuang2
KKK Byrd is klansman!
45 posted on 03/19/2003 11:04:29 PM PST by TLBSHOW (The gift is to see the truth......)
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To: JohnHuang2
US Sen. Robert Byrd: 'Today I weep for my country'

And she spits at you.

46 posted on 03/19/2003 11:04:33 PM PST by scott7278 (Peace had it's chance, now it's bombs away!)
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To: JohnHuang2
Can you find a similar quote from Senator Sheets when the impeached president Clinton sent missles into Iraq without "provocation" and without UN approval?
47 posted on 03/20/2003 12:56:55 AM PST by weegee (McCarthy was right - Fight the Red Menace)
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To: TLBSHOW
He ONLY feels comfortable, when his hood is on. :-)
48 posted on 03/20/2003 12:58:16 AM PST by nopardons
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Comment #49 Removed by Moderator

To: weegee
Nope, because there wasn't any. Nor did Sheets shed any tears when slick willy launched a 78-day, unprovoked attack on Serbia, either. Sheets only weeps when it's a Republican in the White House.
50 posted on 03/20/2003 12:59:35 AM PST by JohnHuang2
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To: JohnHuang2
I ran across this new thread President Clinton explains Iraq strike (FLASHBACK to 1998, worth reading)

And added a timeline of headlines from the week to that thread. For those who are having difficulty with recall, Bill Clinton was in the final days of his House Impeachement trial when he issued the air strikes on Iraq.

Bubba himself has recently said that they were not intended to end Saddam's weapons' capabilities, just push them back for the next administration to have to deal with.

So what has changed that now we won't follow with the same response Big Media supported then? (Yes I know that their guy didn't win in 2000.)

51 posted on 03/20/2003 1:45:45 AM PST by weegee (McCarthy was right - Fight the Red Menace)
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To: JohnHuang2
the country weeps everytime you open your mouth, weep from laughter
52 posted on 03/20/2003 1:46:36 AM PST by The Wizard (Demonrats are enemies of America)
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To: CARepubGal
Hey Bobby--SHEET HAPPENS.
53 posted on 03/20/2003 3:14:04 AM PST by Alouette
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To: JohnHuang2
A pall has fallen over the Senate chamber

Palls, weeping, wringing of hands, gnashing of teeth, everything but solutions. And, in the truly sad event of another terrorist attack on America, Byrd would be the first one one his feet claiming Bush didn't do enough.

54 posted on 03/20/2003 3:21:58 AM PST by laredo44
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To: laredo44
Bingo.
55 posted on 03/20/2003 3:24:02 AM PST by JohnHuang2
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To: JohnHuang2
Hey, Sin-ator Byrd!


"Where are all de white women?"

56 posted on 03/20/2003 6:44:10 AM PST by SquirrelKing ("War is not nice." - Barbara Bush (W.T. Sherman in pearls.)
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To: weegee
BUMP
57 posted on 03/20/2003 9:23:41 AM PST by weegee (McCarthy was right - Fight the Red Menace)
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To: scott7278
As the white-haired senator concluded his remarks, a number of people in the visitor's gallery rose and applauded before they were admonished to be quiet.

Who do you think admonished him?
58 posted on 03/20/2003 9:53:05 AM PST by surelyclintonsbaddream
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To: JohnHuang2
He's nothing but a melodramatic old fool mascarading (sp) as a Roman senator. He's boring too.
59 posted on 03/20/2003 10:05:49 AM PST by Carolinamom
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To: laredo44
And, in the truly sad event of another terrorist attack on America, Byrd would be the first one one his feet claiming Bush didn't do enough.

The first thing he'd do, even before that, is to soil his sheets.

60 posted on 03/20/2003 12:04:21 PM PST by weegee (Uday is DU in pig latin, pass it on...)
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