“The President is Authorized to use the Armed Forces”

The resolution agreed upon by President Bush and House leaders, Democrats and Republicans, is a masterful document. In short, it outlines the misdeeds of Iraq, the failed attempts by the U.S. and the UN to rectify the situation, and the dangers to international peace and stability of both Iraq’s behavior and our collective failures. It is a first attempt to define threats to US national security in an age of both terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, and redefine the concept of self-defense.

The resolution agreed upon by President Bush and House leaders, Democrats and Republicans, is a masterful document. In short, it outlines the misdeeds of Iraq, the failed attempts by the U.S. and the UN to rectify the situation, and the dangers to international peace and stability of both Iraq’s behavior and our collective failures. It is a first attempt to define threats to US national security in an age of both terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, and redefine the concept of self-defense. It encourages the UN to redeem itself and honor its pledges, and provides the American muscle essential for the UN to be successful – if it can be successful at all. The key clauses are:

“Whereas Iraq’s demonstrated capability and willingness to use weapons of mass destruction, the risk that the current Iraqi regime will either employ those weapons to launch a surprise attack against the United States or its Armed Forces or provide them to international terrorists who would do so, and the extreme magnitude of the harm that would result to the United States and its citizens from such an attack, combine to justify action by the United States to defend itself;

“Whereas the United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 authorizes the use of all necessary means to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution(s)…”

“The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to:

1) Defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraqi; and

2) Enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq.”

The President is required promptly to notify the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate if and when he determines that the above conditions can no longer be met by “further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone.” And to notify Congress that employing force against Iraq will be “consistent with… continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations…”

Bravo to those who did the crafting. Now the debate. The House is likely to adopt it by a wide majority. The Senate will be slower on the uptake – watch Sen. Spector (who, in June 1990, told Jewish leaders Saddam could be worked with and the story goes downhill from there), Sen. Hagel and Sen. Daschle. The Senate calls itself “The World’s Greatest Deliberative Body.” Call us skeptics. We believe ultimately the Senate will do the right thing, but for the moment we can only hope they will do it in a manner that advances the debate on security for Americans and our national interest.