NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — dissent — congress — Viewing Item

Sen byrd accuses bully Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030117/pl_nm/iraq_usa_byrd_dc_1 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030117/pl_nm/iraq_usa_byrd_dc_1 Politics Sen. Byrd Blasts Bush for 'Bully' World Image Fri Jan 17, 3:44 PM ET Add Politics to My Yahoo! By Vicki Allen WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Veteran Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd blasted President Bush (news - web sites) on Friday for giving the United States the image "of a belligerent bully," and said Bush's contrasting handling of threats posed by North Korea (news - web sites) and Iraq revealed major flaws in his foreign policy. Byrd of West Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee that oversees federal spending, said Bush appeared eager to apply his doctrine of taking pre-emptive military action against less powerful countries such as Iraq, but not against countries that may pose a nuclear threat such as North Korea. "What is the message we convey to the world if we are eager to apply a doctrine of pre-emption on those countries with limited ability to defend or counterattack, and yet waffle over a pre-emptive response to dangerous regimes with firepower to hit back?" Byrd said as a number of Democrats sharpened their criticisms of Bush's handling of world affairs. "The unanticipated result of this doctrine may be to unleash a global scramble to acquire the means to deter the U.S. from unprovoked attacks," he said on the Senate floor. Bush has said the United States has the right to launch pre-emptive strikes against nations that have or are developing weapons of mass destruction that threaten the United States or its allies, which he said would justify a U.S. attack on Iraq. Byrd called that a bellicose position and said policy-makers must "work to restore the image of the United States to that of strong peacekeeper instead of belligerent bully." He said he was relieved the administration "appears to fully comprehend the folly" of a pre-emptive strike on North Korea, which may possess nuclear weapons, and was instead trying to defuse the situation through diplomacy. North Korea has expelled U.N. weapons inspectors and threatened to resume missile testing in a standoff the Bush administration has said it is determined to resolve diplomatically. Iraq denies it has chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, and has admitted U.N. inspectors. Byrd, who fiercely fought the resolution Congress passed in October giving Bush authority to attack Iraq if necessary to disarm it, urged Bush to cool "the fever pitch of war rhetoric." He complained the nation was mobilizing to attack Iraq "without so much as a whisper of debate," and said Congress must re-evaluate the situation before any military action. Administration officials insist Bush has made no decision to go to war against Baghdad.

4 reps visit { October 3 2002 } Bush will mislead { September 30 2002 } Congressman in iraq Congresswoman secretary accused iraqi spy Conressman visits { September 16 2002 } Daschle erupts [jpg] Daschle erupts Defend iraq visit { October 2 2002 } Democrat warhawk attacks chicken hawks { November 17 2005 } Legislator said cowards cut and run Maryland activist charged iraqi spy { March 12 2004 } Murray defends comments { January 9 2003 } Only black legislatures attend anti war rally Republican opposition to iraq plan grows { December 2007 } Sen byrd accuses bully Sen byrd blank check { October 4 2002 } Senators question evidence { January 30 2003 } Story.thompson.mcdermott [jpg] Top republicans break { August 16 2002 } Files Listed: 19

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.