10150

09/25/2002
EDITORIAL NUMBER=0-10150

THE DOCTRINE OF PREEMPTION

Since September 11^th, 2001, when terrorists attacked the United States, the world has become a more dangerous place. The world recognized the potential for a link-up of terrorists and weapons of mass destruction.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said this is "a threat that [the U.S.] could not allow to grow because of this connection between states developing weapons of mass destruction and terrorist organizations willing to use them without any compunction and in an undeterrable fashion." As Mr. Powell said, "We now see that a power menace like [Iraq’s] Saddam Hussein, in possession of weapons of mass destruction, could empower a few terrorists to threaten millions of innocent people." The U.S. is committed to dealing with this threat.

For the past twelve years, the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein has systematically defied a series of United Nations resolutions. The resolutions require Iraq to destroy its weapons of mass destruction, to destroy any ballistic missiles beyond the range of one-hundred-fifty kilometers, and to stop trying to build nuclear weapons. In 1998, the U-N weapons inspectors found it impossible to do their job because of Iraqi deception and obstruction.

In his speech to the U-N General Assembly, President Bush challenged the world organization to hold Iraq to account. If the U-N is to remain relevant, Security Council resolutions must be honored and enforced, not cast aside without consequence.

What is required is clear. Iraq must get rid of its weapons of mass destruction -- destroying biological and chemical weapons, and ending its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Iraq must end its links with terrorists. Iraq must respect human rights. And Iraq must return prisoners and property seized during the Gulf War in 1990."

Iraq’s intentions and its continued violations, said Mr. Powell, "are indisputable." The U.S. is trying to deal with the problem of Iraq through the U-N. If the U-N doesn’t act, then the U.S. will have to make its own decisions. "Preemption," said Secretary of State Colin Powell, "has always been part of any national security strategy....because when [the U.S.] sees something coming at us, we should take action to stop it."