Area Legislators Skeptical of Iraq Announcement
By Riley Yates
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2002–Members of the all-Republican New Hampshire congressional delegation said Tuesday they were skeptical of Iraq’s offer to allow United Nations weapons inspectors to return to the country, but praised President George W. Bush’s diplomacy as leading to the Iraqi concession.
“[It] is rhetoric we have heard before, and compliance by Iraq with U.N. resolutions will speak louder than any statement Iraq can issue,” Sen. Judd Gregg said in a statement about the Iraqi decision.
Sen. Bob Smith said in a statement that he viewed the Iraqi announcement with “cautious pessimism.”
“Saddam’s record of performance on complying with [U.N.] resolutions is marked by failure and deceit,” he said.
Iraq said Monday it would allow inspectors to return “without conditions,” as international pressure increased for Iraq to allow weapons inspectors into the country.
But Rep. John Sununu said that even if weapons inspectors are allowed to return, Iraq has a lot more that it must do to placate the United States, which is considering an invasion of that country.
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein still must honor other U.N. resolutions signed at the end of the Persian Gulf War, Sununu said, by releasing remaining prisoners of war and ending oppression of ethnic minorities such as the Kurds.
“There are a number of commitments that Iraq made that haven’t been met,” he added.
The New Hampshire legislators stressed that the United States should not wait for Iraq to meet these conditions but should continue to move forward, drumming up support at home and internationally.
“Time is not on our side when dealing with Iraq and weapons development.” Rep. Charles Bass said in a statement. “The international community has waited long enough for compliance and will not long accept delay, deception or denial from Hussein.”
Sununu said he disagreed with speculation that Iraq’s announcement will hurt the U.S. effort to win international support for an invasion, with many countries concluding that the return of weapons inspectors to Iraq would remove the primary, if not the only, issue justifying invasion.
“If you were to try to measure support among our allies right now,” he said, “it’s probably a lot more than it was three months ago.”
The New Hampshire legislators credited this support to Bush’s Sept. 12 speech to the United Nations, in which the president urged the world body to prove its standing by making Iraq follow the agreements it has made with the United Nations.
“Unquestionably, Iraq’s recent action is directly attributable to the compelling justification the President has presented,” Bass said.
Published in The Manchester Union Leader, in New Hampshire.
