Michael Burgess: “I cannot understand how it is possible to criticize the President for the action that he took in Operation Iraqi Freedom…”

“I cannot understand how it is possible to criticize the President for the action that he took in Operation Iraqi Freedom and at the same time ask the President to go forward in an action in Liberia. That being said, I think it is incumbent upon us on the Republican side of this House to point out that after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, it had become apparent that the United States needed, the United States was required to be more vigilant about terrorism and weapons proliferation and pay particular attention to the prospect of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of groups or states that would use them against American interests, American interests either here at home or abroad. And unfortunately, over the prior 10 years we have seen that with attacks in Saudi Arabia, the Khobar Towers, the bombing of the Cole and, of course, the attacks here on September 11. The Bush administration, the Clinton administration, indeed, the United Nations all agreed that Saddam Hussein possessed a significant biological and chemical capability in 1998 when the inspectors were withdrawn.”