Replies

Lawmakers applaud Powell presentation
But some questions remain about move toward war

WASHINGTON (CNN) --Many lawmakers expressed hope Wednesday that Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations will convince skeptical nations that Iraq is defying disarmament resolutions and that they must be willing to confront Saddam Hussein by military force, if necessary.

Powell's presentation won praise from Democrats and Republicans, but some lawmakers stressed that the Bush administration needs to better prepare the American public for the sacrifices and commitment that a war with Iraq would likely involve. And several members of Congress said they would like to see a final ultimatum from the United Nations in the form of another resolution before the United States moves against Iraq.

"I think Secretary Powell made a very powerful and, I think, irrefutable case today before the Security Council," Sen. Joseph Biden, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters after the 90-minute-long presentation.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Powell's presentation had unveiled "the true nature" of Saddam's regime.

"The evidence proves that Saddam Hussein has a loaded gun pointed at the civilized world," Hastert said in a statement. "It is time to take that loaded gun away from this evil tyrant."

Biden, D-Delaware, said the evidence confirms what he believed "for some time now" -- that Saddam is hiding weapons of mass destruction and trying to amass more. The senator called on the Security Council to "live up to its responsibilities" and said that the choice of war or peace was Saddam's.

Biden stressed that President Bush needs to do a better job of preparing the American public for a long-term commitment of U.S. armed forces in Iraq. Many people, Biden said, believe a military strike against Iraq would be "bloodless" and that U.S. troops would return home quickly.

"Johnny will not come marching home. We will be required to stay in-country with tens of thousands of forces for an extended period of time," Biden said, adding that such an endeavor would cost billions of dollars.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, said the administration had made a "very powerful case" against Iraq and expressed optimism that it would sway world opinion against the regime of Saddam.

Sen. George Allen, R-Virginia, agreed, predicting more European allies would soon stand with the United States against Iraq.

"Time is running very short," Allen said.

But some lawmakers, particularly Democrats, remained leery of the prospect of war. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, said Powell had made "a very strong case" about the dangers posed by Saddam, but said that does not mean the United States should strike Iraq.

"The question isn't disarming Saddam Hussein," Kennedy said. "It is how to be able to do it."

Many members of Congress, primarily Democrats, have been calling on the administration to make a clearer case that Saddam poses a threat to the United States and the world before the president sends troops in to topple him.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, dismissed the suggestion that the administration has any more proving to do.

"I don't think any amount of evidence will convince the appeasers out there," DeLay said.

Rep. Jane Harman, D-California, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said she is pleased the administration is getting "beyond the rhetoric," but she said the presentation was overdue.

"This is what we should have been doing a while ago," said Harman.

In a typical reaction to Powell's speech, Sen. John Kerry -- a Democratic presidential contender for 2004 -- said Powell had effectively placed the onus on the United Nations to enforce its own resolutions.

"With such strong evidence in front of them, it is now incumbent on the U.N. to respect its own mandates," Kerry said.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/02/05/sprj.irq.powell.us.reax/index.html