United States Senate Office of the Majority Leader Washington DC The President December 16, 1998 The White House Washington DC Dear Mr. President, As you know, many of us in the Congress have been increasingly concerned over a perceived drift in U.S. policy toward Iraq. In three separate legislative vehicles in 1998 alone, the Congress appropriated funds to support the Iraqi opposition. You signed each of these bills. The Congress also spoke innumerable times to the issue of Iraqi intransigence and non-compliance with U.N. resolutions, calling on your Administration to act in supporting the indictment of Saddam Hussein as a war criminal and to support efforts to end his reign of terror. Your decision to sign and fully implement the Iraq Liberation Act (P.L. 105-338) appeared to be the change of course many of us had urged. We welcomed your November 15, 1998 pledge to work "with Congress to implement the Iraq Liberation Act [and] to do what we can to make the opposition a more effective voice for the aspirations of the Iraqi people." Unfortunately, it appears that your commitment to support the political opposition to Saddam Hussein has not trickled down through the Administration. Despite your clear expression of the need for "a new government" in Baghdad, Secretary of Defense Cohen has stated that you were "not calling for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein". Earlier, General Anthony Zinni, the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), reportedly stated that "I don’t see the parts [of the Iraq Liberation Act] that make it sensible," adding that he sees no "viable" Iraqi opposition. Though his statements were made prior to your signing the Iraq Liberation Act into law, CENTCOM officials have continued to denigrate the ILA and the Iraqi opposition in briefings to other U.S. government agencies and on Capitol Hill. Mr. President, change in Baghdad will not come about with the signature of a bill alone. Government agencies, in particular the Departments of State and Defense, must end their foot-dragging and gear up to implement the law consistent with your public statements. A viable and capable opposition is the most logical means of doing just that. Yet despite the fact that Congress has appropriated $13 million toward those ends, only Radio Free Iraq is up and running in a limited fashion. Of the remaining $8 million appropriated to support the opposition and mount a war-crimes campaign, only $58,000 has been expended. We urge you and your Administration to move swiftly to designate a group such as the Iraqi National Congress under the terms of the Iraq Liberation Act. As part of the designation process, and in the interest of encouraging an array of opposition groups to unite under one umbrella, we encourage you to provide clear and unequivocal logistical and political support to groups invited to attend the Executive Committee meeting of the Iraqi National Congress. We urge you and your officials to make clear U.S. government support, commitments and guarantees to ensure that, once reconvened, the members of the Iraqi National Congress have no doubt about our policy. Saddam Hussein constitutes a serious, long-term threat to the United States and to our allies. We welcomed National Security Adviser Berger's December 8, 1998 statement that containment of Iraq is not necessarily "sustainable over the long run . . . Our policy toward Iraq is to contain Saddam, but also to oppose him." Administration officials must be engaged in this effort at the highest levels. Despite the State Department's announcement of support for the convening of the Iraqi National Congress, INC officials have held no meetings above the assistant secretary level. And notwithstanding provisions in the Iraq Liberation Act for drawdown of military assistance subsequent to the designation of an opposition group and groups, we have been told that neither the Office of the Secretary of Defense nor the Joint Staff have even begun work on plans for drawdown, equipping or training the opposition. Secretary of State Albright, Secretary of Defense Cohen and National Security Adviser Berger have not met with retired General Wayne Downing—-whom they know has spent considerable time preparing detailed plans to equip, arm and train opposition forces willing to work for the liberation of Iraq. Finally, the campaign to indict Saddam Hussein as a war criminal is key to international recognition of the need to replace Saddam. Your Administration has publicly supported such indictment since 1993. We urge the immediate provision of funding to the INDICT campaign against Saddam Hussein. As time passes it becomes more and more difficult to gather information. INDICT is ready to move and has received verbal commitments from your Administration. Yet despite promises, not one penny has been provided. INDICT has even had to expend its own severely limited funds to travel to Washington to meet with your officials. Surely this non-controversial campaign to indict, arrest and try one of our century's most vile dictators deserves the financial support Congress intended and your Administration has promised. Mr. President, you have at least $110 million in funding and drawdown authority at your fingertips. You have our support in working to help revive a confident and viable opposition. We believe that only the fullest and most vigorous implementation of the Iraq Liberation Act will hasten the end of Saddam Hussein's regime. We look forward to cooperating with you in this effort. Sincerely, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott Foreign Relation Committee Chairman Jesse Helms Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Shelby Senator John Kyl Senator Richard Lugar Senator Sam Brownback
