Senator Roberts Remarks Regarding President Bush's Address to the Nation

Senator Roberts Remarks
Regarding President Bush's Address to the Nation

March 17, 2003

In meeting with the President prior to his speech he stressed this was not a going to war speech but a last attempt at giving Saddam an opportunity to avoid war....a 48 hour ultimatum.

However, virtually all intelligence reporting clearly indicates he will not leave the country, he will stay and fight.
The President stressed he has UN authority with resolutions 678, 687 and 1441 and that all agreed Saddam has not disarmed. He did not choose to offer a second resolution to an 18th resolution. The French have stated they would veto any resolution calling for the use of force at any time - 30 days - 60 days or a year. I hope their intransigence will not cost additional lives.

The President also stressed in his briefing that we are not going it alone, that he has support from 18 of the 26 NATO countries, many in Asia and in the Mideast as opposed to the coalition of the unwilling comprised primarily of France, Germany and Russia.

With military action imminent, regardless of our feelings about war let me point out this country already is in a war with some 5,700 Americans already slain by unprovoked terrorist attack and we should now resolve our commitment to our men and women in uniform.

The goal is to win the peace, not only for the Mideast for a safe America and safe world as well.

Two weeks ago, I was in the war zone. A Marine from Kansas told me, "Senator, lets get the job done so I can come back home to my family. I share that goal and hope that this action will represent an important victory over terrorism a chance for peace in the Mideast. And, I believe most Americans do as well.