Cord Byrd: “before the Nation is committed to war, before we send our sons and daughters to battle in faraway lands, there are…”

“before the Nation is committed to war, before we send our sons and daughters to battle in faraway lands, there are critical questions that must be asked, and it is not unpatriotic to ask questions. To date, the answers from the administration have been less than satisfying. After weeks of criticism from Congress and, indeed, from the countries of the world, President Bush went to the United Nations to press his case that Iraq posed a serious threat to the peace and security of the globe. But instead of offering compelling evidence that the Iraqi regime had taken steps to advance its weapons program to the point that it is necessary for the United States to deliver an unprovoked attack on a sovereign state--namely, Iraq--the President offered the U.N. more of a warning than an appeal for support. Instead of using the forum of the U.N. General Assembly to offer evidence and proof of his claims, the President basically told the nations of the world that ``you are either with me or against me.'' ``Do not question this stand,'' the President said. If the U.N. is unwilling to act, then ``by heritage and by choice, the United States of America will make that stand.'' While Mr. Bush tried to play the role of an international prosecutor, his case was at best circumstantial.”