Rod Grams: “I rise today to express my hope that the agreement reached by Secretary Annan in Iraq results in the end of a conflict…”

“I rise today to express my hope that the agreement reached by Secretary Annan in Iraq results in the end of a conflict that has plagued the international community over the past seven years--the failure of Saddam Hussein to live up to the terms that he agreed to following the invasion of Kuwait and his defeat in the Gulf War. If Saddam has truly experienced a change of heart and has decided to abandon the production and concealment of weapons of mass destruction, this agreement is a milestone; if this is just one more ploy to evade the destruction of his arsenal, then we remain on course for a showdown with Iraq. We all know Saddam Hussein's record. He invaded the sovereign nation of Kuwait. He used chemical weapons against Iran and against his own people. He used women and children as human shields to protect himself and his weapons of mass destruction. He is both a coward and a menace-- and that is a dangerous combination. At this time it is impossible to judge whether this deal will truly permit the UN weapons inspectors full and unfettered access. UNSCOM inspectors have always insisted that they need to be able to follow a trail wherever it leads them. They are not seeking access to a certain category of sites--they just need freedom to track the evidence. If this agreement permits them to do this and allows them to use whatever techniques are necessary, then the agreement is a step forward.”