16 December 1998
CLINTON SAYS "WE HAD TO ACT AND ACT NOW" AGAINST IRAQ DEC. 16
(Thwarting of inspectors a "clear and present danger") (720) By Wendy S. Ross USIA White House Correspondent Washington -- President Clinton says he ordered a strong, sustained series of US air strikes against military and security targets in Iraq December 16 because Saddam Hussein "failed to seize" his last chance to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors. In a televised address from the Oval Office, the President said the purpose of the strikes is "to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological-weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors." Clinton noted United Kingdom forces are also involved in the attacks. Clinton said he made the decision to launch the air strikes "with the unanimous recommendation" of his national security team, with whom he met earlier in the day to discuss the December 15 report to the United Nations Security Council on Iraq by United Nations chief weapons inspector Richard Butler. Butler's report, Clinton said, contains "stark, sobering and profoundly disturbing" information regarding Iraq's lack of compliance with UNSCOM weapons inspectors. Indeed, Iraq actually has placed new restrictions on the inspectors in the month since it was given one more chance to comply, he said. UNSCOM is the United Nations Commission in Iraq set up in 1991 following the Gulf War with Iraq to ensure that Iraq rid itself of weapons of mass destruction. In halting US air strikes in November, "I gave Saddam a chance, not a license," Clinton said. Prior to one recent inspection, the President said, "Iraq actually emptied out the building, removing not just documents, but even the furniture and the equipment. Iraq has failed to turn over virtually all the documents requested by the inspectors. Indeed, we know that Iraq ordered the destruction of weapons-related documents in anticipation of an UNSCOM inspection. So Iraq has abused its final chance." "In short, the inspectors are saying that even if they could stay in Iraq, their work would be a sham," Clinton said. "Saddam's deception has defeated their effectiveness. Instead of the inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the inspectors. "This situation presents a clear and present danger to the stability of the Persian Gulf and the safety of people everywhere," said the President. "The international community gave Saddam one last chance to resume cooperation with the weapons inspectors. Saddam has failed to seize the chance. And so we had to act and to act now. "We acted today because in the judgment of my military advisors, a swift response would provide the most surprise and the least opportunity for Saddam to prepare," Clinton said. "If we had delayed for even a matter of days from Chairman Butler's report, we would have given Saddam more time to disperse his forces and protect his weapons," the President said. "Also, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins this weekend. For us to initiate military action during Ramadan would be profoundly offensive to the Muslim world and therefore would damage our relations with Arab countries and the progress we have made in the Middle East. That is something we wanted very much to avoid, without giving Iraq a month's head start to prepare for potential action against it. Finally, our allies, including Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain, concurred that now is the time to strike. "Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction," Clinton said. "If Saddam defies the world, and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors; he will make war on his own people; and mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them. Because we're acting today, it is less likely that we will face these dangers in the future." He closed by addressing the issue of the impeachment resolution against him pending in the US House of Representatives. "Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down," the President said. "But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America's vital interests, we will do so."
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