Hillary’s statement…
Here’s what the odious Hillary Clinton said on the floor of the
Senate before casting her vote to authorize Bush to invade Iraq:
http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html
President Bush’s speech in Cincinnati and the changes in policy that
have come forth since the Administration began broaching this issue
some weeks ago have made my vote easier. Even though the resolution
before the Senate is not as strong as I would like in requiring the
diplomatic route first and placing highest priority on a simple,
clear requirement for unlimited inspections, I will take the
President at his word that he will try hard to pass a UN resolution
and will seek to avoid war, if at all possible.
Because bipartisan support for this resolution makes success in the
United Nations more likely, and therefore, war less likely, and
because a good faith effort by the United States, even if it fails,
will bring more allies and legitimacy to our cause, I have concluded,
after careful and serious consideration, that a vote for the
resolution best serves the security of our nation. If we were to
defeat this resolution or pass it with only a few Democrats, I am
concerned that those who want to pretend this problem will go way
with delay will oppose any UN resolution calling for unrestricted
inspections.
This is a very difficult vote. This is probably the hardest decision
I have ever had to make — any vote that may lead to war should be
hard — but I cast it with conviction.
And perhaps my decision is influenced by my eight years of experience
on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue in the White House watching
my husband deal with serious challenges to our nation. I want this
President, or any future President, to be in the strongest possible
position to lead our country in the United Nations or in war.
Secondly, I want to insure that Saddam Hussein makes no mistake about
our national unity and for our support for the President’s efforts to
wage America’s war against terrorists and weapons of mass
destruction. And thirdly, I want the men and women in our Armed
Forces to know that if they should be called upon to act against
Iraq, our country will stand resolutely behind them.