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Inside the DOME
By Pete Jeffries
Communications Director for Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL)
March 24, 2003

Sniping of the Partisan Kind in a Time of War

While the U.S. House of Representatives passed a "Support the President & Troops Resolution" within hours of our brave men and women going into battle, it was not without politics as usual.

Never mind that H. Con. Res. 104 passed overwhelmingly 392-11 in the wee hours of Friday morning, it's what led up to that moment of truth that's rather disconcerting. A number of partisan Democrats opposed the Republican majority's effort to put forth a straightforward bill to send three key messages of "unequivocal support and appreciation of the Nation" to:

1. The President as Commander-in-Chief for "his firm leadership and decisive action in the conduct of military operations in Iraq as part of the on-going Global War on Terrorism;"
2. The members of the U.S. Armed Forces serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom for "their excellence, patriotism, and bravery;" and,
3. The supportive families of our U.S. military personnel carrying out operations in Iraq.

It's the Resolution's first statement with which liberal Democrats most objected, and that's the rub. Their protests are very consistent with the tone and comments coming from Democrat leaders just hours before bombs started falling over Baghdad. For instance, Senate Democrat Leader Tom Dashcle went as far to say, "I'm saddened that the President failed so miserably at diplomacy that we are now forced into war."

Such comments make it obvious that partisan Democrats simply do not want to give President George W. Bush any credit for his steadfast leadership, and they certainly don't want to admit the Iraqi operation is another much-needed step to winning the Global War on Terrorism.

Saddam Hussein has repeatedly snubbed his nose at the world, while aiding and abetting terrorists and developing chemical, biological, and possibly nuclear weapons of mass destruction at the same time. This is an evil dictator with a track record of torture, rape and murder of men, women and children under his control. If not dealt with now, Saddam Hussein or a terrorist network connected to the Iraqi regime, such as Al-Qaeda, could unleash the unaccounted for 26,000 liters of anthrax, 38,000 liters of botulinum toxin, 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agents, more than 30,000 munitions including missiles capable of delivering chemical agents, and mobile biological weapons labs probably hidden within that country's borders.

President Bush rightly deserves our support for leading the effort to liberate the Iraqi people from their dangerous dictatorship, working to rid the world of deadly terrorism, and putting together a world coalition of 44 countries. Mind you, Iraqi Freedom's coalition is even larger than the 41-country coalition force at the completion of 1991's Desert Storm.

How amazing is it that a once-proud political party has decided to stick its head in the proverbial sand and utterly ignore such a clear and present danger? To pull from political prose of the past: Where's the outrage?

Now's not the time for partisan politics. While watching the "Shock & Awe Campaign" on television, nearly every American is rightly rallying around the flag, saying a few prayers, and supporting our Commander-in-Chief, our servicemen and servicewomen, and their families.

In case you missed it, here's the list of 11 House Democrats who voted "NAY" and 21 House Democrats who voted "PRESENT" on H. Con. Res. 104, the House bill voicing support for the President and Members of the Armed Forces participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom:

Democrats voting nay: Conyers, Honda, Jones (OH), Lee, McDermott, Rangel, Scott (VA), Stark, Towns, Waters, Watson Democrats voting present: Brown (OH), Corrine Brown, Carson (IN), Clay, Cummings, Davis (IL), Doggett, Farr, Jackson (IL), Jackson-Lee, E.B. Johnson, Kilpatrick, Kucinich, Lewis (GA), Meeks (NY), Owens, Payne, Rush, Sabo, Schakowsky, Watt