William H. Frist: “On behalf of the Senate, I will spend these few moments to rise and condemn in the harshest terms the cowardly and…”

“On behalf of the Senate, I will spend these few moments to rise and condemn in the harshest terms the cowardly and despicable assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Monday, as Rafiq Hariri's motorcade was traveling along Beirut's Corniche seafront, a car bomb loaded with 600 pounds of explosives detonated, killing the former Prime Minister and 13 others. Our condolences go out to the Hariri family and the people of Lebanon. They have lost a great man, and they have lost a beloved leader. Rafiq Hariri served as Prime Minister in the aftermath of a devastating civil war that wrecked the country for 15 years. Over his 10 years in office, Prime Minister Hariri helped to revitalize the Lebanese economy and rebuild its shattered infrastructure, including the rebirth of Beirut's historic downtown district. His murder is a direct attack on the aspirations of the Lebanese people, and an attack on civilization itself. We demand an investigation, and we demand that the killers, and any backers of the killers, be brought to justice. Further, we strongly urge that Syria withdraw its 14,000 troops and intelligence personnel in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act passed by this body in 2003.”