Donald M. Payne: “The true question before us today is: Why should we go to war with Iraq? This is the last chance we will have before it…”

“The true question before us today is: Why should we go to war with Iraq? This is the last chance we will have before it starts. The rule has been that the people of this country do not wage war and lay down lives when there might be a threat. The rule has been that the people of this country do not wage war and lay down lives to achieve regime change in another country. With Iraq, we are moving into brand new territory. We are not just demanding disarmament. We are demanding that a ruler be removed. The President's press secretary publicly suggested assassination. This is new, Madam Speaker. This is new, and we should say no today. Because, first, their resolution is premature. There has been no showing by the intelligence agencies or the White House of imminent danger to the United States. That Saddam Hussein is a brutal dictator who has committed heinous crimes is undeniable. It is likely that he still seeks weapons of mass destruction. But we have a way to thwart his desire: inspection and disarmament. For regime change, we stand alone.…”