Bonior: Administration 'dooming' the process:

Monday, September 30, 2002 Posted: 10:41 AM EDT (1441 GMT)
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Two U.S. congressmen visiting Iraq Monday said the U.N. arms inspections process must be played out, despite what they say are Bush administration attempts to discredit the effort.

[red]"If you want peace," Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Washington, said, "then you've got to let those inspections go forward.[/red] As long as they continue to try and agitate and derail it, that's simply not good for the American people and the Iraqi people."  

He and Rep. David Bonior, D-Michigan, were interviewed on CNN. The congressmen, along with Rep. Mike Thompson, are urging Iraqi officials to avert war by allowing U.N. weapons inspections to return.

U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix began meetings Monday with Iraqi arms experts with the intention of paving the way for a resumption of arms inspections in Iraq.  

McDermott said he trusts Blix "to be a fair, impartial and professional inspector. [red]And if at 60 days, he comes back to the United States and says 'they wouldn't let me into this place, they wouldn't let me into that place' -- that's a new circumstance and at that point we'll make another decision." [/red]

He said the Bush administration is setting up a "self-fulfilling prophecy" that inspections won't work.  

Bonior said Iraqis have reiterated the inspectors will have "unrestricted and unfettered" inspection opportunities.  

He said the administration is "dooming" the process "before it ever happens, thus laying the pretext or the path for war." He stressed the "emphasis" should be placed on pursuing weapons inspections and letting the United Nations do its work.

Bonior said that for seven years, last decade,"thousands of inspectors went in they did a good job" and later "the process became politicized." Iraq has offered to allow U.N. weapons inspectors back in after a four-year absence, but announced Saturday that it would reject a resolution giving seven days to disarm.  

McDermott was asked about Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott's comment that McDermott "should come home and keep his mouth shut" and criticism of his trip.  

He urged President Bush and Lott to travel to Iraq to see what's going on.

"I'm speaking for the peace process," McDermott said. Lott is "talking from absolute ignorance of what's going on on the ground. I think he ought to be a little more careful about what he says in a country where we value free speech. Dissent is an American right. Without it, it's not a democracy."

[red]McDermott also said on ABC's This Week that "I think the president would mislead the American people" in order to bring about war with Iraq. [/red]

Quoted:

Oh PUHLEEEASE let the next dirty nuke or smallpox attack or nervegas attack happen in Michigan or Washington!!!

Quoted:


Dude that's just not a nice thing to say. [V]

Quoted:
It would be such a shame for those US Congressman to get caught in first bombing raid.

These America-hating, UN-sucking, terrorist-protecting, yellow-crusted, hyena-dick-dripping TRAITORS make Jane FuckingFonda look like Betsy Ross!!

Quoted:
I don't think they're Commies, or traitors or any of the other creative labels that have been tossed around on this thread. This is still the USA, free speech and free expression of opinion are still part of our Constitutionally guarenteed rights, and these gentlemen have exercised those rights.

What they are, IS WRONG. That's all.  They are simply wrong. You guys know it, I know it, the President and the administration know it, and I pray that the voters in their home districts know it (or will come to know it), and will vote them out of office ASAP.

Yes, it pisses me off that they went to Iraq, it pisses me off even more that we the taxpayers picked up the tab, and I hope it pisses the folks who elected them off.

As noted elsewhere, go and vote for people who don't hold the opinions these guys hold.  These dorks are part of a dying breed, in my humble opinion.  If we'll just get out there and work for people to replace them we won't have to read about and listen to their BS any more.  They'll still hold the same opinions, I'm sure;  and still have the right to express those opinions.  It's just that those expressions won't matter any more. [:D]