Stephanie Herseth Sandlin: “Mr. Speaker, we are poised today on the brink of armed conflict, not knowing what the future may hold but confident in…”

“Mr. Speaker, we are poised today on the brink of armed conflict, not knowing what the future may hold but confident in our position and in our resolve. We sincerely pray that war is not necessary. We realize that it may be. These closing hours and minutes of the 107th Congress may be our last chance for true and meaningful debate and deliberation. Can we as a reasonable people, supported by the international community, avoid the horrors of war, the stench of death, or rather does the protection of our country and the belief of the unalienable rights of all people, does common human decency require us to press forward in the face of certain American casualties? Two questions face the American people: Is Iraq's threat imminent? Is an unprecedented first strike the proper course to take? On a positive note, the President has indicated that approval of the resolution does not mean war is imminent or unavoidable. Additionally the U.S. has indicated support for a three-pronged resolution: number one, Iraq must reveal and destroy all weapons of mass destruction under U.N. supervision; two, witnesses must be allowed to be interviewed outside of Iraq; and, thirdly, any site the U.N. wants to inspect must be open without delay, without preclearance, without restriction, without exception. These are reasonable and rational rules that are required to maintain international peace.”