• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

17 December 1998

TEXT: FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER ON BOMBING OF IRAQ

(Says Clinton's decision not based on politics) (210)
Atlanta, Georgia -- Jimmy Carter said December 17 that allegations by
some members of Congress that President Clinton based his decision to
strike Iraq on domestic politics were "unjust and ill-advised."
Following is the text:
(begin text)
December 17, 1998
STATEMENT FROM FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER ON THE BOMBING OF
IRAQ
Atlanta, Georgia -- Americans may nor may not agree that the bombing
of Iraq is justified. However, the allegations by some members of
Congress that the President of the United States and his security
advisers would launch an attack on Iraq for political purposes are
both unjust and ill-advised.
It has been clear since early November that such a military action
would be launched without further debate if it became clear that
Saddam Hussein violated, once again, his pledge to the United Nations
to permit unrestricted inspections. American strikes were launched
only after Ambassador Richard Butler reported such a deliberate
violation of this pledge to the United Nations Security Council.
American leaders played no role in the timing of Iraq's violations,
which cannot be related to political events in Washington.
(end text)