TheKellyCrew
10-10-2002, 10:25 AM
Daschle Announces He Supports Bush Iraq Resolution
Thursday, October 10, 2002
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle put aside his misgivings Thursday and announced he will support President Bush's request for authority to use force against Iraq.
"I believe it is important for America to speak with one voice," Daschle declared.
His announcement of support came as both chambers marched toward expected approval of the war resolution by wide bipartisan margins.
Daschle's support was crucial to the administration's hope for a substantial vote. He was the last holdout among major Democratic congressional leaders.
Bush, who has stressed that he has made no decision on launching a military strike against Baghdad, has urged Congress to stand with him as he presses the U.N. Security Council to approve a new resolution demanding that Iraq abide by comprehensive inspections and disarmament or face the consequences.
The Senate was likely to clear a hurdle Thursday with a vote to deter a possible filibuster by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., a tenacious opponent of ceding congressional warmaking powers to the president.
"Congress is being stampeded, pressured, adjured, importuned into acting on this blank check," said Byrd, the Senate's 84-year-old president pro tempore.
Progress was slower on the diplomatic front, where three members of the U.N. Security Council -- France, Russia and China -- continued to hold out against a U.S.-British proposal sanctioning military action if Iraq does not comply with coercive inspections.
A 25-minute telephone call between Bush and French President Jacques Chirac on Wednesday failed to yield a breakthrough over wording of a new Security Council resolution to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
"This is intricate diplomacy and we are continuing our consultations," White House spokesman Sean McCormack said.
More here (http://foxnews.com/story/0,2933,65337,00.html)
Thursday, October 10, 2002
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle put aside his misgivings Thursday and announced he will support President Bush's request for authority to use force against Iraq.
"I believe it is important for America to speak with one voice," Daschle declared.
His announcement of support came as both chambers marched toward expected approval of the war resolution by wide bipartisan margins.
Daschle's support was crucial to the administration's hope for a substantial vote. He was the last holdout among major Democratic congressional leaders.
Bush, who has stressed that he has made no decision on launching a military strike against Baghdad, has urged Congress to stand with him as he presses the U.N. Security Council to approve a new resolution demanding that Iraq abide by comprehensive inspections and disarmament or face the consequences.
The Senate was likely to clear a hurdle Thursday with a vote to deter a possible filibuster by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., a tenacious opponent of ceding congressional warmaking powers to the president.
"Congress is being stampeded, pressured, adjured, importuned into acting on this blank check," said Byrd, the Senate's 84-year-old president pro tempore.
Progress was slower on the diplomatic front, where three members of the U.N. Security Council -- France, Russia and China -- continued to hold out against a U.S.-British proposal sanctioning military action if Iraq does not comply with coercive inspections.
A 25-minute telephone call between Bush and French President Jacques Chirac on Wednesday failed to yield a breakthrough over wording of a new Security Council resolution to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
"This is intricate diplomacy and we are continuing our consultations," White House spokesman Sean McCormack said.
More here (http://foxnews.com/story/0,2933,65337,00.html)