Joe Pitts: “To cast a vote on whether or not to authorize our President to use military force against an enemy is one of the most…”

“To cast a vote on whether or not to authorize our President to use military force against an enemy is one of the most important responsibilities we have as Members of Congress. This is not an easy decision. It is a very complex state of affairs that will have foreign policy and national security implications for many years--beyond the service of many Members here today. So, we must not simply think about today, but we must also think about what the future holds. With this said, we must look at the big picture. It is a complex picture, but there are several things we do know for sure. (1) For many years, Saddam Hussein has brutally oppressed his people. He has committed mass murder, mass starvation, and gross violations of human rights. (2) Saddam Hussein has developed chemical and biological weapons with the capability to attack neighboring countries, like Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia--our allies. (3) Saddam has already used chemical and biological weapons against his own people and his enemies--we know he is not afraid to use them. (4) Saddam has vowed to use these weapons against anyone or any country that stands in his way, including the U.S., our allies, and even the Shia population in his own country.”