8 February 2003
Following US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s presentation to the United Nations Security Council February 5, leading Democrats rushed to support the Bush administration’s war drive.
Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, a longtime supporter of a US war on Iraq, was the most bloodthirsty, calling for an invasion in the coming weeks. Lieberman suggested that UN support, while preferable, is not necessary. “Patience is a virtue,” he said, “but too much patience with dangerous lawlessness is a vice.”
Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts urged Bush to strengthen international alliances as part of the preparation for a military assault. Kerry declared, “With such strong evidence in front of them, it is now incumbent on the UN to respect its own mandates, and stand up for our common goal of either bringing about Iraq’s peaceful disarmament or moving forward with the decisive military victory of a multilateral coalition.”
Not content with expressing support for Powell’s speech, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina indicated his retroactive support for the Bush administration, saying that he has “long argued that Saddam Hussein is a grave threat and that he must be disarmed. Iraq’s behavior during the past few months has done nothing to change my mind.” Edwards commented, “Secretary of State Powell made a powerful case. This is a real challenge for the Security Council to act.”
Recovering from heart surgery before deciding whether to enter the presidential race, Senator Bob Graham of Florida indicated his concern about the links Powell alleged between Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and terrorist groups. “I am outraged that four months have passed with little effort having been made to increase the security of our people,” Graham said.
