Mike Enzi: “I want to answer some of these questions about why we are now considering a resolution and what proof we have about…”

“I want to answer some of these questions about why we are now considering a resolution and what proof we have about Iraq. Senator Sarbanes and I are the two delegates to the United Nations this year for the House and Senate. I was on the floor of the United Nations General Assembly when the President made his speech and presented his case to the General Assembly. I have to say I was so proud of him. Before he even gave the speech, there had been a lot of hype in the papers that was unfavorable to him. When he was introduced, the tension in the crowd could be felt, and there was no applause. I did learn later that there is seldom applause when a head of state is introduced. When he gave his speech the body language could be seen on the other delegates. At the end of the speech--also untypical--they gave him applause. I also want to tell my colleagues what happened after that. As we wandered about and met other delegates, we heard lots of positive comments about what the President said. Not only that, virtually every head of state who followed him had the same message for the U.N.: Be useful or be done. That is the message that the President delivered. Why now? Right now because we are trying to strengthen the resolve of the United Nations. Discussions are going on right now in the Senate and throughout the nation about what should be done with Iraq. We are the ones who provide the leadership in this country. We are the ones who set the tone.”