DATE=12/17/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42171
TITLE=REPUBLICANS ON IRAQ
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S DECISION TO STRIKE IRAQ HAS DRAWN AN
UNUSUALLY CRITICAL REACTION FROM CONGRESS, WHICH USED TO BE KNOWN
FOR BIPARTISANSHIP ON DEFENSE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS. V-O-A SENATE
CORRESPONDENT DAVID SWAN REPORTS THAT SOME LAWMAKERS CHARGE THE
RAIDS WERE TIMED TO INFLUENCE THE COMING VOTE ON WHETHER TO
IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT.
TEXT: EVEN AT A TIME WHEN CONGRESS IS POLARIZED, WITH CONSTANT
POLITICAL WARFARE CONSIDERED NORMAL, THE ACTION OF SENATE
MAJORITY LEADER TRENT LOTT STANDS OUT. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT
JUST BEFORE THE FIRST ATTACK, THE SENATOR SAID HE CAN NOT SUPPORT
THE USE OF FORCE AT THIS TIME.
MR. LOTT QUESTIONED THE POLICY AND MOST NOTABLY, THE TIMING --
SUGGESTING THE PRESIDENT SENT TROOPS INTO COMBAT TO DERAIL THE
PENDING IMPEACHMENT VOTE IN THE HOUSE. FOR A SENATE LEADER,
THESE ARE UNCOMMONLY STRONG WORDS. THEY DREW A QUICK REACTION
FROM THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.
// BIDEN TEASE ACT //
DISAPPOINTING. I MEAN, THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY TO YOU
IS, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 26 YEARS. ITS GENUINELY
DISAPPOINTING. GENUINELY.
// END ACT //
SENATOR JOSEPH BIDEN, THE RANKING DEMOCRAT ON THE FOREIGN
RELATIONS COMMITTEE, SAYS MR. LOTT'S REMARKS ARE DEAD WRONG AND
MR. CLINTON'S TIMING WAS CORRECT.
// 2ND BIDEN ACT //
I WONDER WHAT SENATOR LOTT WOULD HAVE SAID HAD THE
PRESIDENT WITHHELD TAKING MILITARY ACTION AND BEEN PUT
IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO WAIT OVER A MONTH (UNTIL
AFTER RAMADAN) BEFORE HE COULD ACT. I WONDER WHAT HE
WOULD HAVE SAID THEN?
// END ACT //
OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE EQUALLY DOUBTFUL OF MR. CLINTON'S MOTIVES.
TO BE SURE, SOME OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS SUPPORT HIS DECISION TO
ATTACK NOW. THIS INCLUDES THE OUTGOING SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE,
NEWT GINGRICH, AND INCOMING CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE, JOHN WARNER.
// WARNER ACT //
THIS STRIKE WAS NEEDED IF SADDAM HUSSEIN CONTINUED TO
VIOLATE THE RULE OF LAW AS ESTABLISHED BY THE CONSORTIUM
OF NATIONS AND THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE SECURITY
COUNCIL.
// END ACT //
BUT THE OVERALL LEVEL OF SKEPTICISM IS STILL ABNORMALLY HIGH.
THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE WIDESPREAD MISTRUST AND BITTERNESS OVER
THE MONICA LEWINSKY AFFAIR AND THE RESULTING IMPEACHMENT CRISIS.
SOME REPUBLICANS SAY THEY SIMPLY NO LONGER BELIEVE ANYTHING MR.
CLINTON SAYS. CONGRESSMAN STEVE BUYER IS BOTH A GULF WAR VETERAN
AND A MEMBER OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WHICH HANDLES
IMPEACHMENT. SPEAKING ON THE HOUSE FLOOR (THURSDAY), HE
UNDERLINED HIS SUPPORT FOR THE STRIKES AND THE TROOPS IN THE
FIELD, WHILE ALSO VOICING WHAT MANY REPUBLICANS FEEL ABOUT THE
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
// BUYER ACT //
HE'S GIVEN THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. THE BENEFIT GETS
REMOVED IN THIS CASE BECAUSE OF THE DIMINISHED
CREDIBILITY AND THE SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS THE PRESIDENT
HAS CAUSED HIMSELF.
// END ACT //
THERE ARE ALSO LONGSTANDING DOUBTS ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE OF
ADMINISTRATION POLICY. MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES WANT A LONG-TERM
STRATEGY AIMED AT TOPPLING PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN. THESE
QUESTIONS AND THE DIVISIVE PARTISAN ATMOSPHERE IN CONGRESS, SEEM
LIKELY TO OUTLAST ANY IMPEACHMENT DEBATE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DS/GE
17-Dec-98 2:51 PM EST (1951 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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