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555 Dirksen Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Ph: 202.224.6342
Fax: 202.224.1100
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Raleigh Office:
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Articles
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WHY WE ARE IN IRAQ
Iraqi conflict has become the front line in the global war on terror
Author: Senator Elizabeth Dole
Publication: Charlotte Observer |
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July 8th, 2004 - In the early hours on Monday morning last week, Iraq regained its sovereignty. While this transfer of power is indeed a significant step forward, mistakes have been made in Iraq. This operation has been far from perfect. Nonetheless, we must remember why we are in Iraq.
My colleague, Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman, stated the case very succinctly by saying "the war in Iraq is THE central battleground in the war on terror."
Our ability to turn over control to a peaceful and sovereign Iraqi government is an integral part of the overall war on terror. Despite recent media reports that have clouded or even misrepresented the facts, there is compelling evidence that al-Qaida and Iraq have been linked for more than a decade. The Democratic co-chairman of the 9-11 Commission, former Rep. Lee Hamilton of Indiana, told reporters that "there were connections between al-Qaida and Saddam Hussein's government."
Documents discovered recently by U.S. forces in Saddam's hometown of Tikrit show that Iraq gave Abdul Rahman Yasin both a home and a salary. Yasin was a member of the al-Qaida cell that detonated the 1993 World Trade Center bomb. Is this not a clear example of Iraq not only having a relationship with al-Qaida, but also harboring and rewarding a person who was directly involved in a terrorist attack on our soil?
Then there is the case of Zarqawi, arguably the most dangerous terrorist in the world today. He and his men trained and fought with al-Qaida for years. Zarqawi's network helped establish and operate an explosives and poisons facility in northeast Iraq. Not only was Zarqawi in Baghdad prior to Saddam's ousting, but nearly two dozen members of al-Qaida were there as well. One al-Qaida associate even described the situation in Iraq as "good" and stated that Baghdad could be transited quickly.
Now Saddam is in jail instead of a palace -- and a regime that once tolerated and even encouraged terrorism is gone. The terrorists know what is at stake, which is why they are pulling out all the stops to derail our efforts. They understand that a free and Democratic Iraq is a serious blow to their interests.
I want our men and women in uniform -- especially those from North Carolina -- to know that this senator understands and appreciates the magnitude of the work they are doing in Iraq. They are on the front lines in the global war on terror. Because of their efforts, the American people and the world are much safer. And, because of their efforts, the Iraqi people can now declare that freedom reigns.
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: television clip