Sam Brownback: “As we look and move forward on the issue of Iraq and war with Iraq and the potential of providing the President military…”

“As we look and move forward on the issue of Iraq and war with Iraq and the potential of providing the President military authorization, I hope the body and the Members and people across the country and across the world look at the potential of a post-Saddam Iraq. Former Senator Kerrey of Nebraska and I worked, when he was in the Senate, with a group called the Iraqi National Congress, an umbrella group of opposition leaders, to try to bring to the forefront opposition groups, bring them together, and move forward with the track that once Saddam is out, moving forward with a democracy, with human rights, civil liberties for the people of Iraq. I think a lot of times we get caught too much in the downside potential. It is not only whether we can get Saddam out. It is not only what are going to be the problems of doing this. Sometimes we do not see the upside potential. There is clear downside potential in taking on Saddam Hussein, there is no question about that--potential loss of lives of our troops, our people, terrorist threats, potential loss of life in the region, loss of life in Iraq. It is undeniable. It is also unquestionable and undeniable that Saddam Hussein has killed a number of people already, gassed his own people, attacked Iran, gassed the Iranian people. He has continued to rule by fear. He has killed people within his own Cabinet and his own family. This is a man who is familiar with evil and has exercised it. What about after Saddam Hussein? What then?”