President's supporters hit back at critics

1. "If Saddam rejects peace and we
   have to use force, our purpose is clear.
   We want to seriously dimmish the
   threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass
   destruction program." — President
   Clinton, Feb. 17,1998
   

2. "Iraq is a long way from (the USA),
   but what happens there matters a great
   deal here. The risks that the leaders of
   a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical
   or biological weapons against us or our
   allies is the greatest security threat we
   face. Hussein has chosen to spend his
   money on building weapons of mass
   destruction and palaces for his
   cronies." — Madeline Albright, Clinton
   Secretary of State, Nov 10,1999
   

3. "We urge you, after consulting with
   Congress, and consistent with the U.S.
   Constitution and laws, to take necessary
   actions (including, if appropriate,
   air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi
   sites) to respond effectively to the
   threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its
   weapons of mass destruction programs--
   --Letter to President Clinton,
   signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom
   Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9,
   1998
   

4. "There is no doubt that... Saddam
   Hussein has invigorated his weapons
   programs. Reports indicate that biological,
   chemical and nuclear programs
   continue apace and may be back to pre Gulf War
   status. In addition, Saddam is
   doubtless using the cover of an illicit
   missile program to develop longer-
   range missiles that will threaten the
   United States and our allies." — Letter
   to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob
   Graham (D-Fla.) and others; December
   5,2001
   

5. "We begin with the common belief
   that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a
   threat to the peace and stability of the
   region. He has ignored the mandates of
   the United Nations and is building
   weapons of mass destruction and the
   means of-delivering them." — Sen. Carl
   Levin (D-Miss.), Sept. 19,2002
   

6. "We know that he has stored secret
   supplies of biological and chemical
   weapons throughout his country
   Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven
   impossible to deter and we should assume that it will
   continue for as long as Saddam is in
   power." ---Al Gore, Sept. 23,2002
   

7. "We have known for many years that
   Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing
   weapons of mass destruction."
   —Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), Sept. 27,2002
   

8. "I will be voting to give the President
   of the United States the authority to use
   force- if necessary- to disarm Saddam
   Hussein because I believe that a deadly
   arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in
   his hands is a real and grave
   threat to our security"— Sen. John E
   Kerry (D-Mass.), Oct. 9,2002
   

9. "In the four years since the inspectors
   left, intelligence reports show that
   Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild
   his chemical and biological weapons
   stock, his missile delivery capability,
   and his nuclear program. He has also
   given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to
   terrorists, including al Qaida members.
   It is clear, however, that if left
   unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue
   to increase his capacity to wage
   biological and chemical warfare, and
   will keep trying to develop nuclear
   weapons." — Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-
   NY), Oct. 10,2002
   

10. "Without question, we need to disarm
    Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal,
    murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime...
    He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is
    so consistently prone to miscalculation ...
    And now he is miscalculating America's
    response to his continued deceit
    and his consistent grasp for weapons of
    mass destruction ... So the threat of
    Saddam Hussein with weapons of
    mass destruction is real ..." — Sen.
    John E Kerry (D-Mass.), Jan. 23.2003
    

11. "Saddam Hussein has been engaged
    in the development of weapons of mass
    destruction technology which is a
    threat to countries in the region, and he
    has made a mockery of the weapons inspection
    process." — Rep. Nancy Pelosi
    (D-Calif), Dec. 16,1998
    

12. "He has systematically violated,
    over the course of the past 11 years,
    every significant UN. resolution that
    has demanded that he disarm and destroy his
    chemical and biological
    weapons and any nuclear capacity
    This he has refused to do."---- Rep. Henry
    Waxman (D-Calif.), Oct. 10,2002
    

13. "He will use those weapons of mass
    destruction again, as he has ten times
    since 1983." — Sandy Berger, Clinton
    national security adviser, Feb. 18,1998
    

14. "One way or the other, we are determined
    to deny Iraq the capacity to develop
    weapons of mass destruction and
    the missiles to deliver them. That is our
    bottom line." —President Clinton, Feb.
    17,1998
    

Gary Smith
Newton

Rick Detter
Taylorsville

The president's supporters have researched
remarks by critics made prior
to the war We offer some of these remarks
as readers' contributions to the
continuing controversy

Frank and Pat Von Drehle of Hickory
Gary Smith of Newton and Rick Detter
of Taylorsville supplied separate lists
as rebuttal to President Bush's critics,
and other readers have called to remind
us that many critics were once in favor
of the war.