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FLASHBACK: Clinton Signs Iraq Liberation Act, on Oct. 31, 1998, calling for regime change in Iraq
Cornell University Library ^ | Oct. 31, 1998 | President William J. Clinton

Posted on 07/10/2005 12:13:17 AM PDT by FairOpinion

The Iraq Liberation Act October 31, 1998

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

(excerpts)

Today I am signing into law H.R. 4655, the "Iraq Liberation Act of 1998." This Act makes clear that it is the sense of the Congress that the United States should support those elements of the Iraqi opposition that advocate a very different future for Iraq than the bitter reality of internal repression and external aggression that the current regime in Baghdad now offers.

Let me be clear on what the U.S. objectives are: The United States wants Iraq to rejoin the family of nations as a freedom-loving and law-abiding member. This is in our interest and that of our allies within the region.

The United States favors an Iraq that offers its people freedom at home. I categorically reject arguments that this is unattainable due to Iraq's history or its ethnic or sectarian make-up. Iraqis deserve and desire freedom like everyone else. The United States looks forward to a democratically supported regime that would permit us to enter into a dialogue leading to the reintegration of Iraq into normal international life.

My Administration, as required by that statute, has also begun to implement a program to compile information regarding allegations of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes by Iraq's current leaders as a step towards bringing to justice those directly responsible for such acts.

The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 provides additional, discretionary authorities under which my Administration can act to further the objectives I outlined above. There are, of course, other important elements of U.S. policy. These include the maintenance of U.N. Security Council support efforts to eliminate Iraq's weapons and missile programs and economic sanctions that continue to deny the regime the means to reconstitute those threats to international peace and security.

With those observations, I sign H.R. 4655 into law.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

THE WHITE HOUSE,

October 31, 1998.

===========

EXCERPTS FROM THE BILL THAT WAS PASSED BY BOTH THE US SENATE AND HOUSE, AND SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON IN 1998:

Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)

--H.R.4655--

SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD IRAQ.

It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime.

SEC. 6. WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL FOR IRAQ.

Consistent with section 301 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 (Public Law 102-138), House Concurrent Resolution 137, 105th Congress (approved by the House of Representatives on November 13, 1997), and Senate Concurrent Resolution 78, 105th Congress (approved by the Senate on March 13, 1998), the Congress urges the President to call upon the United Nations to establish an international criminal tribunal for the purpose of indicting, prosecuting, and imprisoning Saddam Hussein and other Iraqi officials who are responsible for crimes against humanity, genocide, and other criminal violations of international law.

SEC. 7. ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ UPON REPLACEMENT OF SADDAM HUSSEIN REGIME.

It is the sense of the Congress that once the Saddam Hussein regime is removed from power in Iraq, the United States should support Iraq's transition to democracy by providing immediate and substantial humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people, by providing democracy transition assistance to Iraqi parties and movements with democratic goals, and by convening Iraq's foreign creditors to develop a multilateral response to Iraq's foreign debt incurred by Saddam Hussein's regime.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 1998; clinton; iraq; iraqliberationact; iraqwar; regimechange; saddam; x42
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Full text of Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate), HR 4655
1 posted on 07/10/2005 12:13:18 AM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: FairOpinion
It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq...

From DNC Talking Points: "Support efforts" does NOT mean rush to war (without a plan to win the peace). /barf

2 posted on 07/10/2005 12:26:10 AM PDT by DTogo (U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
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To: DTogo; FairOpinion
"It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime."

Thank you President Bush...to carry out (dated Clinton) US policy. The point being that the whole Senate advocated this change.

3 posted on 07/10/2005 12:32:53 AM PDT by endthematrix ("an ominous vacancy" fills this space)
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To: FairOpinion
If there were a democrat instead of a republican as President the big media would be in full support of the action we have taken in Iraq.

What I can't stand the most is the way those losers who stabbed the US in the back during Vietnam have grown up into positions of the media and deny this new generation of Americans their voice to be heard and above all else credited for the way they have answered so bravely to every call to defend their country and our freedoms and security.

I cant wait till these baby boomer losers finally end up in the mental hospitals broken down from years of self destructive drug abuse so that we can finally be allowed to build ourselves up as a country again rather then have these political opportunist losers constantly tearing us down and blaming America first.

Eternal shame on them.
4 posted on 07/10/2005 1:33:13 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper

I guess that instead of blaming America, we can blame the Indians, Blacks, Mexicans, Chinese, Vietenamese and Russians for not conforming to us after realizing our resourceful dominance. They had to know that he who makes the gold makes the rules so why wouldn't they want to work for us at "minimum wage." By the turn of the 20th century we were ready to dominate the world with our resources and people shouldv'e been willing to take it up the ass.
Right guys and gals.


5 posted on 07/10/2005 1:42:48 AM PDT by jride
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To: jride

Go back to DUmmie Land. You fit right in over there with the "This is your brain on drugs crowd"


6 posted on 07/10/2005 1:49:35 AM PDT by GloriaJane (http://music.download.com/gloriajane "Baseball Apple Pie And Mom")
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To: GloriaJane

whadya mean?


7 posted on 07/10/2005 1:50:04 AM PDT by jride
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To: GloriaJane

Whadya know about the two America's anyway? And are yall brave enough to talk about it w/o kicking me off.


8 posted on 07/10/2005 1:51:21 AM PDT by jride
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To: FairOpinion
Shortly following 9/11 five Senators, including the freshman Senator from New York, had a meeting with President Bush and were demanding to know why he hadn't done anything yet.

I can't recall the President's exact words but it was something to the effect: "I'm not going to fire off cruise missiles at an empty tent in the desert just to hit a camel in the arse."

Therein is the difference between the two administrations.

9 posted on 07/10/2005 1:57:05 AM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: jride

10 posted on 07/10/2005 2:01:55 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
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To: CWOJackson

Summary of eRumor:
The message says that after the terrorist attacks on America, President Bush was asked why it was taking so long to take action against the terrorists. Bush is said to have replied, "When I take action I'm not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt."


The Truth:
According to Newsweek reporter Howard Fineman, this is true. In the 9/24/01 issue, Fineman says this statement was made in the Oval Office at the White House during a meeting with the president and four U.S. Senators.

Fineman says Mr. Bush briefed them on plans for action against the terrorists and said, "“When I take action, I’m not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It’s going to be decisive.”

**Little known fact: the senator who asked the question "What are you going to do about what has happened at the World Trade Center" was Hillary Clinton.

(Just imagine her head exploding when he said that.)


11 posted on 07/10/2005 2:01:59 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Jim Robinson

OMG, that is the BEST graphic I've seen on here in years!


12 posted on 07/10/2005 2:02:56 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: jride

I know you're a troll.

Who else would be apart of the blame America crowd except one of the DUmmies from DUmmie Land?

You know, one of the... "This is your brain on drugs crowd?" and that's all anyone has to know about you.


13 posted on 07/10/2005 2:03:07 AM PDT by GloriaJane (http://music.download.com/gloriajane "Baseball Apple Pie And Mom")
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To: GloriaJane

Not only was he/she/it a troll, but he/she/it was unlucky enough to post on a thread the owner of this site just happens to be reading......LOL.

Stupid, stupid.


14 posted on 07/10/2005 2:06:16 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin
Thank you very much!

Of course I'm sure Senator Clinton would much prefer that President Bush had taken then same kind of instantaneous and decisive action that her husband did in eradicating the people responsible for the USS Cole murders...excluding his own own staff of course.

15 posted on 07/10/2005 2:06:18 AM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: Howlin

LOL. Don't know who made that graphic, but I sure like it.


16 posted on 07/10/2005 2:06:42 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
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To: Jim Robinson

You ought to make up a T-Shit with that on it and sell them! That is cool as all get out!


17 posted on 07/10/2005 2:06:47 AM PDT by GloriaJane (http://music.download.com/gloriajane "Baseball Apple Pie And Mom")
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To: Howlin

Yep! They were very very stupid. LOL!!


18 posted on 07/10/2005 2:08:44 AM PDT by GloriaJane (http://music.download.com/gloriajane "Baseball Apple Pie And Mom")
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To: FairOpinion; MeekOneGOP; PhilDragoo; Happy2BMe; potlatch; ntnychik; Smartass; Interesting Times; ...


MEMORY   LANE


 THE  GREAT  PRETENDER 


19 posted on 07/10/2005 2:09:12 AM PDT by devolve (-------------------------------------------------)
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To: CWOJackson
I can't recall the President's exact words but it was something to the effect: "I'm not going to fire off cruise missiles at an empty tent in the desert just to hit a camel in the arse."
Close. The exact quote was... "When I take action, I’m not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It’s going to be decisive."
20 posted on 07/10/2005 2:36:55 AM PDT by philman_36 ("It’s a legal document, and legal documents do not change." Scalia)
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