Mark Kirk: “Mr. Speaker, we have seen this movie before: The Inter-Allied Control Commission of inspectors were granted full freedom…”

“Mr. Speaker, we have seen this movie before: The Inter-Allied Control Commission of inspectors were granted full freedom of movement, all necessary facilities, documents, and designs. Three hundred thirty-seven weapons inspectors were deployed in 11 districts. They reported that they destroyed 33,384 cannons, 37,211,551 artillery shells, 87,000 machine guns, and 920 tons of poison gas. In sum, they reported 97 percent of artillery and 98 percent of men under arms were rendered ineffective. These reports were not about Iraq, they were about post World War I Germany, and told us not to worry. When the Commission finally started reporting on German violations on inspections, the leading French diplomat wrote to President Wilson the following: 'Elements in each of the nations of the League will be quite naturally inclined to deny reports disturbing to their peace of mind and more or less consciously espouse the cause of the German government which will deny the said reports. We must recall the opposition of these elements at the time when Germany armed to the teeth and openly made ready the aggression of 1870 and 1914. 'To sum up, the Germans will deny, their government will discuss, and, meanwhile, public opinion will be divided, alarmed, and nervous.' In the end, Germany rearmed under the eyes of 300 international inspectors.”