In 2002 Congress authorized the President to use Military Force in Iraq H.J. Res. 114 in a continuing escalation after Saddam Hussein violated the terms of the Cease Fire Agreement executed in March, 1991
Subsequent to the Cease Fire with Iraq which resulted in the ejection of Iraq from Kuwait and the Agreement to end all Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons programs, Saddam Hussein instead played a cat and mouse game with weapons inspectors for 7.5 years, finally closing down future inspections in August, 1998 Saddam Hussein asserted that Iraq no longer needed to cooperate with the terms of U.N. Resolution 687 so in mid December, 1998 President Clinton ordered new military strikes against Iraq.
Speaking from the Oval Office, President Clinton said that Saddam Hussein had violated the cease fire agreement and "...Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear weapons...earlier today I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq...their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons program and its military capacity..." (Dec. 16, 1998)
Following President Clinton's Oval Office address to the nation, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said, "...Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to the countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." (Dec. 16, 1998)
Senator Hillary Clinton said, "...in the 4 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 and comfort and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al-Qaeda members. It is clear, however, 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." (Oct. 10, 2002)
Senator John Kerry said, "...without a doubt, 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 constantly prone to miscalculation...and now he is miscalculating Americas response to his continued deceit and his constant grasp for weapons of mass destruction...So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real..." (Jan. 23, 2003)
Nancy Pelosi following her 1998 remarks supporting President Clinton military campaign in Iraq said of President Bush prosecution of the conflict in Iraq, "...a grotesque mistake...we would be much safer today, if President Bush had kept his focus on Al-Qaeda...rather than diverting crucial resources from the war on terror in Afghanistan to a war of choice in Iraq..."
Democrats appear to be all over the place on the war. President Clinton had Ordered the resumption of hostilities against Iraq for violating the cease fire agreement and commenced "Operation Desert Fox" due to the intelligence that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Earlier this year, Nancy Pelosi said to a group of liberal bloggers on dailykos.com "...We can take the President to Court...the President has made excessive use of signing statements and Congress is considering ways to respond to the Executive Branch over-reaching." Democrats have likewise brain-stormed other ideas such as rescinding the 2002 authorization for the Iraq War. (In October 2002 the House Voted 296-133 in favor of H.J. Res. 114 the Senate Voted 77-23 in favor of the Joint Resolution and was signed into law by Pres. Bush on Oct. 16, 2002; Public Law 107-243)
First the Democrats support the prosecution of the War in Iraq, then they don't, then they want to take the President to Court. The Democrats are all over the place and will say anything to whatever group they may be pandering to today, whenever it is politically convenient and with no firm convictions on anything.
