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16 December 1998

TEXT: HELMS SAYS SADDAM "LEFT THE U.S. NO CHOICE BUT TO STRIKE"

(Saddam's ouster must become "centerpiece of U.S. policy") (380)
Raleigh, North Carolina -- Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman
Jesse Helms (Republican-North Carolina) said December 16 he is
"convinced that Saddam Hussein has left the United States with no
choice but to strike Iraq."
"These strikes, however," Helms said in a December 16 statement, "must
be the beginning of a new Iraq policy: Saddam must go."
"His ouster must become the centerpiece of U.S. policy -- and that of
our European allies," the SFRC chairman said.
The Senator said that he "will continue to support" military actions
"if, and only if, these strikes are followed by a sustained and
vigorous international effort aimed at ridding Iraq of Saddam Hussein
once and for all."
Following is the text of Helm's statement:
(begin text)
I am convinced that Saddam Hussein has left the United States with no
choice but to strike Iraq, and I believe most Americans will support
the decision by our defense leaders. For too long, this administration
has stood idly by as the fruits of victory in the Gulf War were
frittered away. In the past year, Iraq has been foolishly allowed to
return to status quo ante and better. While the energy of the United
States has been wasted on a meaningless search for consensus within
the U.N. Security Council, Saddam has enriched himself and his
cronies, bolstered his weapons programs, and disrupted the work of
UNSCOM, the last vestige of a serious international effort to contain
and defang his regime.
These strikes, however, must be the beginning of a new Iraq policy:
Saddam must go. His ouster must become the centerpiece of U.S. policy
-- and that of our European allies. U.S. troops cannot be asked to
return again and again to the gulf, jeopardizing their lives, while
our friends in Europe (with the exception of Britain) sit on the
sidelines. I, like the vast majority of Americans, will continue to
support the actions of our military leaders in the gulf -- if, and
only if, these strikes are followed by a sustained and vigorous
international effort aimed at ridding Iraq of Saddam Hussein once and
for all.
(end text)