Jeff Duncan: “President Bush sent the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and…”

“President Bush sent the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and others to brief House Members prior to and during the previous Gulf War. This has not been done this time. Most Members of this body know only what they have read or heard in news reports. Why this rush to war? Why all this eagerness to send young American men and women into harm's way? The case has not been made. I am certainly not defending Saddam Hussein. I voted for the last Gulf War and many have forgotten how close that vote was. But last time Hussein had moved on another country and was threatening others. Many nations, including our own, have weapons of mass destruction, nuclear and otherwise. Has there been any overt action or indication that Hussein is getting ready to use his? We have not been told. The American people are not clamoring for war, Mr. Speaker. War should be the most reluctant decision we make, and then only when there is no other reasonable choice. As ABC's Forrest Sawyer asked on Nightline last night, Are we about to do more harm than good?”