Sam Farr: “I rise tonight on the issue of war with Iraq. I have to ask myself in casting the votes before us, what is the best way…”

“I rise tonight on the issue of war with Iraq. I have to ask myself in casting the votes before us, what is the best way to achieve peace in Iraq, not only for its own diverse ethnic people living in Iraq, but also for the people in the rest of the world? The House leadership has adopted a closed rule on the debate so only three resolutions can be voted on. I think the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) has the preferred alternative because it speaks to the issue of putting all our efforts into working with the world community through the United Nations Security Council to get inspectors into Iraq. We should let that process run its course before determining that it will fail. The Lee resolution calls upon the United States to 'work through the United Nations to seek to resolve the matter of insuring that Iraq is not developing weapons of mass destruction through mechanisms such as resumption of weapons inspectors, negotiation, inquiry, mediation, regional arrangements and other peaceful means.'”