Does Iraq Deserve War?     1/14/2003
Helle Dale favors U.S. action
By Sara E. Weltz

Iraq Resolution pushed to the limit

A U.S. war against Iraq is a much-debated topic. While the issue can be divisive, Helle Dale, former editorial page editor for The Washington Times and current deputy director of foreign policy at the Heritage Foundation, addressed a logical case for action against Iraq last Friday. She spoke at a Conservative Women’s Luncheon hosted by the Heritage Foundation and The Washington Times.

“First, Iraq is still a threat to the United States’ security,” she said. “Second, for the sake of Iraq and stability in the Middle East, getting rid of [weapons of] mass destruction would be the right thing to do.”

Others argue that leaving Saddam alone in the ’90s didn’t hurt the United States.

Addressing this concern, Dale said, “Al Qaeda and terrorists have shown their willingness to use weapons on innocent U.S. citizens. September 11, 2001, proved that. And that is our reason to act.”

Still, many criticize the President for acting against a country that has not made direct threats on the United States.

“President Bush acts in the interest of the United States. Iraq is in direct violation of the U.N. Iraq resolution,” Dale said.

The Iraq Resolution states that Iraq must give up its weapons of mass destruction. President Bush has warned that Iraq will face “the severest of consequences if it does not comply with U.N. demands.”

Dale also addressed the January 27 deadline for weapons inspectors to report their findings.

“Iraq keeps asking to extend deadlines, but they have had plenty of time to gather evidence.” she said. “Giving them an extension begins a never-ending process.”

Iraq’s deceptive history underlies the danger in extending the inspection deadline. For example, Iraq has never accounted for tons of mustard gas it produced in the 1980s. General Amir Saadi, purportedly an advisor to Saddam, said the gas was completely removed from Iraq along with any and all documentation. While Iraq admitted that removing the documentation was a mistake, these unaccounted actions leave U.N. arms inspectors skeptical.

“Material breach in itself is enough reason to go to war,” said Dale. “It took Iraq four years to admit having biological weapons, and it wasn’t until payment evidence came against them that they made any admissions.”

Dale then quoted a statement of Napoleon: “There is a limit to how long an army can sit in its barracks.”

The United States could be reaching that limit.

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