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DoD News Briefing

Tuesday, December 15, 1998 - 1:40 p.m.
Presenter: Mr. Kenneth H. Bacon, ASD PA

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Q: Iraq. Will the United States be making a decision about whether to take military action against Iraq this week based on the results of Richard Butler's report to the United Nations?

A: Well Richard Butler's report will certainly have an impact on what our future strategy is toward Iraq. We have not ruled in or ruled out any options at this stage. We're awaiting Ambassador Butler's report. I expect that it will be out this afternoon or this evening. That's my latest information. We will have to evaluate the report and see what it says.

Q: We don't have to wait for the report to know that Iraq's cooperation was less than full and unconditional. Isn't Iraq therefore in violation of the promise it made back on November 14th when the United States called off its military strike?

A: I think rather than speculate right now we should see how Ambassador Butler, who's closest to the situation, evaluates Iraqi compliance.

Obviously Iraqi compliance has been less than complete, but we need to await Ambassador Butler's assessment of whether he thinks he can do his job, and what he thinks the future will hold. As I say, that report isn't out yet and it won't be out for probably several hours.

Q: If the President were to decide that Iraq's lack of compliance justified a military strike, does the President have the moral authority to order such a strike given that it would come at a time when he's also facing impeachment in the House of Representatives and the questions that would raise?

A: First of all, the first part of your question is hypothetical. He hasn't reached any decision yet because he doesn't have all of the information he would need to evaluate Iraqi compliance.

The President is the Commander in Chief. He was duly elected. He will have to -- he is completing a foreign trip in which he was able to realize or help realize a considerable achievement in Palestine, and I think that he has the full authority given under the Constitution to take any action he needs to take in protection of our national interest. Whatever he decides that is.

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http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec1998/t12151998_t1215asd.html