Political Quotes

“as U.S.-led coalition forces act to remove Saddam Hussein from power, I would like to speak about another conflict in the Middle East that is, unfortunately, all too often in the news for the wrong reasons. During the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, U.S. forces seized two key airfields, known as H2 and H3, in Western Iraq. It was from these airfields that 39 Scud missiles were launched against Israel during the first Gulf War in 1991, prompting chaos and panic. While Israel was fortunate that the Scud strikes were ineffective, many more people died from heart failure blamed on war-related stress--68--than from the missile strikes themselves--2. It was the intent of Saddam Hussein to prompt backlash by Arab nations against the U.S.-led coalition should Israel respond with military force to the Scud attacks. That concern remains valid today. Much of the current opposition in the Muslim community to military action against Saddam Hussein stems from their desire to see an end to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United States policy toward Israel has been roundly criticized by some as lopsided in its support. There is no question that the United States provides Israel with more foreign assistance than any other nation--and deservedly so. The United States played a critical role in the establishment of Israel in 1948. Our two nations are bound closely by historic and cultural ties as well as by mutual interests.…”