A demonstrator makes a thumbs down sign as he displays a poster with portraits of American President, George W. Bush (L) and Britain´s Prime Minister Tony Blair during a rally outside the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, 11 October 2002. The U.S. Congress has granted President George W. Bush the authorization to wage war if necessary to disarm Iraq, with the Senate following the House of Representatives to support him with overwhelming votes. AFP photo

Congress gives Bush OK to kill Saddam and begin his "America over all" world crusade

It is a very sad day when Americans back a war monger like little George Bush.  It is a tragedy for the United States of America to demonize a nation because our President has a personal vendetta against his father's enemy.

At a time when the United States has the power to lead the world in peace and toward WorldPeace, we have this little Hitler and his America over all agenda.

Going after Iraq, when we can't even put an end to Osama bin-Laden and when we have left Afghanistan in ruins, is totally irresponsible.

More and more, we are becoming the enemy.  When a nation like the United States, which is made up of people from all nations of the world who internally live together in peace and harmony, determines to unilaterally make war on any nation instead of working through the United Nations to promote peaceful resolutions to international problems and understanding among nations, then all Americans must accept the fact that they have undeniably adopted the "Deutschland Uber Alles (Germany over all) mindset of the citizens of Nazi Germany in the 1930's and 1940's.

John WorldPeace
October 11,  2002

Overwhelming vote gives president OK for unilateral attack

Friday, October 11, 2002

By Tom Raum, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Congress voted solidly to give President Bush the broad authority he sought to use U.S. military force to confront Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, handing him a crucial national-security policy victory

The Democratic-led Senate approved the war resolution 77-23 early today, wrapping up an often contentious week-long debate. The House voted for the resolution yesterday, 296-133.

Because the Senate approved the House-passed measure without changing a word, it now goes directly to Bush for his signature.

The resolution gives Bush the power to use U.S. military force to enforce United Nations orders that Saddam dispose of his weapons of mass destruction. It encourages Bush to seek U.N. cooperation in such a campaign but does not require it.

"The House of Representatives has spoken clearly to the world and to the United Nations Security Council: The gathering threat of Iraq must be confronted fully and finally," Bush said after the House vote. The president has stressed, however, that he has made no decision on launching a military strike against Iraq.

Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., the most outspoken Senate foe of the resolution, accused Congress of "handing the president unchecked authority."

While Bush hailed the strong showing, a majority of House Democrats voted against the resolution -- even though their leader, Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri, was one of its authors. "The issue is how to best protect America," Gephardt said. "And I believe this resolution does that."

The Senate approved the same resolution after voting 75-25 to choke off delaying tactics. It voted down a series of efforts to weaken or block the resolution, as did the House.

The administration got a big boost when Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., announced that he was putting aside his misgivings to support the president. "I believe it is important for America to speak with one voice," he said. "It is neither a Democratic resolution nor a Republican resolution; it is now a statement of American resolve and values."

But some influential Democrats remained opposed. "The power to declare war is the most solemn responsibility given to Congress by the Constitution," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. "We must not delegate that responsibility to the president in advance."

The resolution gives the president wide latitude in defending the United States against the "continuing threat" posed by Baghdad. In a concession to Democrats, it encourages that all diplomatic means be exhausted before force is used and requires reports to Congress every 60 days once action is taken.

Bush has said he hopes to work with the United Nations, but wanted congressional authority to act independently if necessary. The strong congressional backing he was receiving could bolster U.S. efforts before the U.N. Security Council.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said "talks are progressing" at the Security Council on wording of a strong new resolution to disarm Iraq that all five-veto holding permanent members can support. The United States and Britain continues to encounter resistance from France, Russia and China.

The president phoned Gephardt and House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to thank them for the vote, then told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference:

"Today's vote ... sends a clear message to the Iraqi regime: 'You must disarm and comply with all existing U.N. resolutions, or [you] will be forced to comply.' There are no other options for the Iraqi regime. There can be no negotiations. The days of Iraq acting as an outlaw state are coming to an end," the president said.

The war resolution comes nearly 11 years after Congress voted to give Bush's father similar powers to confront Saddam. In the earlier instance, however, an international coalition was already in place to drive Iraqi invaders out of Kuwait. The current Bush administration has faced resistance from allies in its efforts to form a similar international coalition.

In the House, 126 of the chamber's 208 Democrats voted against the war resolution. Still, that was stronger support than the first President Bush received in 1991, when the House voted 250-183 to authorize force against Iraq.

House Democrats urged the president to work closely with the United Nations before going it alone against Iraq. "Completely bypassing the U.N. would set a dangerous precedent that would undoubtedly be used by other countries in the future to our and the world's detriment," Gephardt said.

The House earlier rejected, by 270-155, the main challenge to the White House-backed resolution, a proposal backed by a majority of Democrats that obliged the president to return to Congress for a second vote on the use of U.S. force against Iraq after he decides that cooperative efforts with the United Nations are futile.

Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., said that without a multilateral approach, "this will be the United States versus Iraq and, in some quarters, the U.S. versus the Arab and the Muslim world."

The Senate also turned aside efforts to put more checks on the president's war-making authority. It rejected, 75-24, a proposal by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., that was similar to the Spratt proposal in the House.

On the key 75-25 Senate vote to draw debate to a close, 28 Democrats joined 47 Republicans in voting for the measure. Only two Republicans voted against it: Sens. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island.

 The Associated Press, Fri 11 Oct 2002

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted solidly Thursday to give President Bush the broad authority he sought to use U.S. military force to confront Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, and the Senate opened the way for final passage of the measure.

The 296-133 vote by the House and expected approval by the Democratic-controlled Senate represented a major national-security policy victory for the president.

``The House of Representatives has spoken clearly to the world and to the United Nations Security Council: The gathering threat of Iraq must be confronted fully and finally,'' Bush said after the House vote.

Senators worked late into the night in an effort to complete action on the measure after defeating all efforts to weaken it. Leaders of both parties predicted easy passage.

The resolution would give Bush the power to wage a second war on Iraq — with or without U.N. participation.

``It is clear that we have lost this battle in the Senate,'' said Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., the most outspoken Senate foe of the resolution. Byrd accused Congress of ``handing the president unchecked authority.''

While Bush hailed the strong showing, a majority of House Democrats voted against the resolution — even though their leader, Dick Gephardt of Missouri, was one of its authors.

``The issue is how to best protect America. And I believe this resolution does that,'' Gephardt said.

The Senate was working on the same resolution, voting 75-25 to choke off delaying tactics and move toward a final vote — expected late Thursday. It voted down a series of efforts to weaken or block the resolution, as did the House. Senate leaders of both parties predicted easy passage.

The administration got a big boost when Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle announced he was putting aside his misgivings to support the president.

``I believe it is important for America to speak with one voice,'' said Daschle, D-S.D. ``It is neither a Democratic resolution nor a Republican resolution. It is now a statement of American resolve and values.''

But some influential Democrats remained opposed.

``The power to declare war is the most solemn responsibility given to Congress by the Constitution,'' said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. ``We must not delegate that responsibility to the president in advance.''

The resolution gives the president wide latitude in defending the United States against the ``continuing threat'' posed by Baghdad. In a concession to Democrats, it encourages that all diplomatic means be exhausted before force is used, and requires reports to Congress every 60 days once action is taken.

Bush has said he hopes to work with the United Nations, but wanted congressional authority to act independently if necessary. The strong congressional backing he was receiving could bolster U.S. efforts before the U.N. Security Council.

At the State Department, spokesman Richard Boucher said ``talks are progressing'' at the Security Council on wording of a strong new resolution to disarm Iraq that all five-veto holding permanent members can support. The United States and Britain continues to encounter resistance from France, Russia and China.

The president telephoned Gephardt and House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to thank them for the vote, then told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference:

``Today's vote ... sends a clear message to the Iraqi regime: You must disarm and comply with all existing U.N. resolutions or (you) will be forced to comply. There are no other options for the Iraqi regime. There can be no negotiations. The days of Iraq acting as an outlaw state are coming to an end,'' the president said.

The war resolution comes nearly 11 years after Congress voted to give Bush's father similar powers to confront Saddam. In the earlier instance, however, an international coalition was already in place to drive Iraqi invaders out of Kuwait. The current Bush administration has faced resistance from allies in its efforts to form a similar international coalition.

In the House, 126 of the chamber's 208 Democrats voted against the war resolution.

Still, that was stronger support than the first President Bush received in 1991 when the House voted 250-183 to authorize force against Iraq.

House Democrats urged the president to work closely with the United Nations before going it alone against Iraq. ``Completely bypassing the U.N. would set a dangerous precedent that would undoubtedly be used by other countries in the future to our and the world's detriment,'' said Gephardt.

The House earlier rejected, by 270-155, the main challenge to the White House-backed resolution, a proposal backed by a majority of Democrats that obliged the president to return to Congress for a second vote on the use of American force against Iraq after he decides that cooperative efforts with the United Nations are futile.

Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., said that without a multilateral approach, ``this will be the United States versus Iraq and in some quarters the U.S. versus the Arab and the Muslim world.''

The Senate also turned aside efforts to put more checks on the president's war-making authority. It rejected, 75-24, a proposal by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., that was similar to the Spratt proposal in the House.

On the key 75-25 Senate vote to draw debate to a close, 28 Democrats joined 47 Republicans in voting for the measure. Only two Republicans voted against it: Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

In the closing hours of debate, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said the decision to back the resolution was ``the hardest decision I've ever had to make, but I cast it with conviction. I want this president, or any future president, to be in the strongest possible position to lead our country, at the United Nations or at war.''

Meanwhile, retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, former head of U.S. Central Command, said Thursday that the Bush administration seems unnecessarily rushed about taking on Iraq. Zinni, a former U.S. envoy to the Mideast for the Bush administration, said he considers Saddam ``deterrable and containable at this point.''

``I'm not convinced we need to do this now,'' Zinni said at a foreign-policy forum.

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