Click here to read more about Rep. Watson's views on Iraq
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Diane E. Watson today delivered a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to H.J. Res. 114, a bill to authorize the use of military force in Iraq. In her statement, Congresswoman Watson questioned why the Administration is focusing all of its attention on Iraq instead of the war on terrorism and said that the resolution only offers "the incessant drumbeat of war."
"We have given Saddam Hussein the power to force the greatest country on earth to abandon its domestic agenda, to potentially violate the U.N. Charter and possibly take unilateral and preemptive action before exhausting all diplomatic efforts," Congresswoman Watson stated.
Congresswoman Watson also noted that the United States has continued to diminish the importance of the United Nations by its embrace of a preemptive first-strike policy and that the United Nations Security Council should authorize the use of force only after inspections have been obstructed.
In closing, Congresswoman Watson expressed her concern that a potential invasion of Iraq will adversely affect the nation’s war on terrorism and "engender a bottomless well of bitterness and resentment toward the United States that will haunt us for decades to come."
The full text of Congresswoman Watson’s statement follows:
Mr. Speaker, I stand to oppose H.J. Res. 114, authorization for military force against Iraq. Mr. Speaker, I have attended numerous Administration briefings on Iraq where not one bit of new evidence was offered to demonstrate that, presently, Saddam Hussein is more of a menace than the proven diabolic character of Osama Bin Laden. Why aren’t we still focusing our attention on him? I remember so well the declaration made by the President: “Wanted dead or alive!” We have painfully experienced his capacity to wreak havoc thousands of miles from his perch. And now he appears to be an afterthought! We have given Saddam Hussein the power to force the greatest country on earth to abandon its domestic agenda, to potentially violate the U.N. Charter and possibly take unilateral and preemptive action before exhausting all diplomatic efforts.
I am not convinced that Saddam Hussein warrants the daily headlines, the extraordinary amount of time and resources given to him. We are equating his power with ours and in some ways describing it beyond our ability to detect. While we are monitoring his every move, I have no doubt that if he were to plan an attack on the U.S. or our allies, we could stop him in his tracks. But what we cannot do is give proof of Osama Bin Laden’s whereabouts or whether he’s dead or alive or who spread anthrax and currently who is killing innocent Americans in close radius of the White House! But our focus remains thousands of miles away on a villain who cowardly goes after the weakest. It is beneath us to choose war over diplomacy and not only carry a big stick but beat our perceived enemy over the head with it.
The United Nations is being diminished by our rhetoric of the last few weeks. As a charter member we are not giving it credit for trying to uphold the principle of sovereign equality of all its members. The U.N. Charter states that in recognition of the sovereignty of all nations, all shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means. The U.N. Charter also states that all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Chapter 6 empowers the Security Council to investigate any disputes and to recommend appropriate procedures for the settlement of the dispute. If the dispute is not resolved, it is then referred to the Security Council for action. Under Chapter 7, the U.N. Security Council shall determine the existence of threats of peace. Article 46 provides that plans for the application of armed force shall be made by the Security Council. The UN Charter does not provide for preemptive or first strike options of member states against a perceived threat.
Too little has been made of peace. When will we mature to a point when we will find non-combative ways to settle our differences. When will we use our higher selves to find ways to be non-violent? To effect a “regime change” we are threatening an invasion of a territorial foe to enhance our security. But such an invasion will in fact degrade and diminish it.
The resolution offers only the incessant drumbeat of war. During the Vietnam War it was often said that every time we kill a Viet Cong guerrilla, we created two more. Our invasion of Iraq will be watched by millions of Muslims women and men. Many governments around the world will become less cooperative in helping us track down terrorist operatives in their countries. Hundreds, if not thousands, of American men and women may perish in the streets of Baghdad. Our invasion will engender a bottomless well of bitterness and resentment toward the United States that will haunt us for decades to come. We now have a choice to maintain the moral high ground or sink to the deeps of our tormentors. History will record this moment!
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