Lieberman: Iraq is Bluffing
By Marty Toohey
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2002–Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman once again took a hard-line stance against Iraq, saying the country’s announcement that U.N. weapons inspectors will have access is “definitely a ruse.”
“We now have to call (Hussein’s) bluff,” Lieberman said on CNN’s “Inside Politics” today. “In our system, we consider people innocent until proven guilty, but we have to consider him guilty until proven innocent.”
Lieberman also said he favors a Congressional resolution granting President Bush broad authority against Iraq, a sentiment mirroring that of most Republicans and increasingly more Democrats. Although Lieberman said he anticipates a “rigorous” debate before a resolution passes, he said he expects a final resolution in “a matter of weeks.”
Many Democrats, including Lieberman, have pledged to work across party lines to support the president. Republican leaders, meanwhile, have held meetings with White House officials and are believed to be near agreement on a resolution draft.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) is among the Republicans meeting with the White House officials to draft a resolution and said she anticipates one granting straight, simple use of force to the president.
Lieberman was unavailable for Tuesday’s Herald story because he was observing the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur on Monday night. Rep. Robert Simmons (R-2) could not be reached Tuesday at deadline for comment. Connecticut’s other members of Congress voiced cautious optimism about Iraq’s announcement, but warned that Iraq still has yet to prove its willingness to cooperate.
Published in The New Britain Herald, in Connecticut.
