Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I appreciate very much the leadership that Senator Lott has provided in the ongoing discussions that we have had in…”

“I appreciate very much the leadership that Senator Lott has provided in the ongoing discussions that we have had in Congress on the situation with Iraq. I was very pleased that in the 2 weeks previous to this, when the President came to consult with Congress, that Senator Lott stated that we needed a plan, that it was important that the President have, indeed, in an aftermath certainly the acknowledgment that there might be a retaliation, and asking the President to tell us what the response would be. I think this set in motion, on the part of the President and the President's advisers really the awareness and the reality of the situation--that it is not an immediate situation that is going to be set aside and not visited again. In fact, I think all the indicators point to the fact that we are going to revisit this again--that perhaps we have a reprieve, that we have a window of opportunity. And this window of opportunity should be taken to lay out a long-term strategy--a long-term strategy that would, once and for all, make clear what our policy is in dealing with Saddam Hussein. For whatever else you say about Saddam Hussein, his objectives are clear. He has been very clear in his actions and in his words that he intends to make weapons of mass destruction, that he intends to abuse his people to be able to keep them, that he does not intend to be part of the community of nations.”