Russ Feingold: “I commend Senator Byrd for introducing a very sensible resolution, S. Res. 28, expressing the sense of the Senate that…”

“I commend Senator Byrd for introducing a very sensible resolution, S. Res. 28, expressing the sense of the Senate that the United Nations weapons inspectors should be given sufficient time for a thorough assessment of the level of compliance by the Government of Iraq with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 of 2002 and that the United States should seek a United Nations Security Council resolution specifically authorizing the use of force before initiating any offensive military operations against Iraq. I am pleased to join several colleagues in cosponsoring it. I want to be clear about one point on which I may disagree with Senator Byrd. S. Res. 28 states that U.N. weapons inspectors have failed to obtain evidence that would prove that Iraq is in breach of the terms of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441. While there is little public information suggesting that weapons inspectors have turned up much in the way of evidence of any kind, they have made some important disclosures in their recent report, and it is clear that Iraq has failed to meet Resolution 1441's requirement that Iraq make a complete declaration of all aspects of its chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons programs, as well as information about its ballistic missiles and other delivery systems.”