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Kennedy urges caution with Iraq
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts urged restraint on the issue of Iraq during a speech at Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. Friday, calling for more discussions with the international community. CNN Anchor Judy Woodruff talked to Kennedy shortly after his speech, and the senator expressed concern about the extent of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's threat to the world. KENNEDY: This will probably be the most important vote that we will cast, certainly in a period of 10 years. There ought to be a full discussion and a full debate. As we saw in the Vietnam War, if the nation is not going to be supporting it, it causes enormous disruptions back home, and also in terms of the carrying of the war. So, we ought to have a good, full, complete debate on this issue, and I think we'll have a good one in the Senate and House, hopefully next week. WOODRUFF: But [President Bush] is saying the threat from Saddam Hussein is clear. It is an urgent threat to America, and every day we wait is the possibility of a greater terror attack somewhere. KENNEDY: Well, there is no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat. The real question: whether it's an immediate threat. My own sense is the greatest threat that we are facing is the al Qaeda, and that poses a real threat every single day. That is the overarching threat. That is the threat that George Tenet, the head of CIA, said was the No. 1 threat just three months ago. And we have to find out how the United States is going to deal with the No. 1 threat with al Qaeda, and also to deal with this one. And I think there is a very important connection. WOODRUFF: But, senator, you have Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld saying they have solid evidence of the presence of al Qaeda in Iraq. They are talking about ties, where al Qaeda have been trained and supported and sheltered in Iraq. What more evidence do you need? KENNEDY: Well, this is troublesome. WOODRUFF: ... that this is how you fight the war on terrorism, by going after Iraq? KENNEDY: This is troublesome, and it's serious, and it should be pursued. There is no question about it. But we also know that there is al Qaeda here in the United States, and they have been trained overseas. We know that there is al Qaeda in Iran, and most importantly, we have very strong al Qaeda in Afghanistan. And we are very concerned about the reconstruction of Afghanistan. We have an enormous al Qaeda presence in Pakistan, and the tenuousness of (Pakistani President Pervez) Musharraf at that time. We are getting help and assistance from 120 countries around the world in the battle of al Qaeda. Are we going to risk, now, our ability to deal effectively with the al Qaeda by going it alone, going alone to Baghdad? Or should we not try and work with our allies and try and make a last effort to try and deal with Saddam Hussein? And I think it makes more sense in trying not to have war as the first step, but to have war as the last step. WOODRUFF: President Bush said last night in a speech that Saddam Hussein is the man who once tried to kill his father, the first President Bush. Should this be part of the argument here? KENNEDY: Well, it obviously influences the president very deeply, and one could understand that. But what we also understand is that Saddam is dangerous. If we are concerned about the using of weapons of mass destruction, I would think, as I have found, that many in the military believe that the quickest way that the Iraqis are going use the weapons of mass destruction is if we put his back against the wall. If we put his back against the wall, there is a very good likelihood he'll use his weapons of mass destruction both against American troops and against Israel. What's going to be Israel's response? Sharon has indicated that they would respond. Will he respond with a nuclear weapon? What's going to happen if he responds with a nuclear weapon in that part of the world? These are some questions which the administration has not yet responded to and not yet asked. My sense is that we ought to go to the United Nations, as the president has said that he wanted to, and to challenge the United Nations, as the president. The logic is to follow what the president suggested, let the United Nations give it one more chance. WOODRUFF: Politics. Is the president -- the administration playing politics in any way by insisting that this debate and vote in the Congress take place before the midterm elections? KENNEDY: Well, I stated publicly and believe that the president believes in this position, and he is trying to carry this position and do it in every possible way that he can. And we have had a skirmish about this issue on the floor of United States Senate. I'd like to believe that on this issue of war and peace that the members of the Congress and Senate are going to be acting and reflecting their own best judgment on it, and not sinking to the questions of rather basic politics. WOODRUFF: You're not ready to say the administration is playing politics by insisting... KENNEDY: I'm not getting -- no, I think we have to try and look to the best motives of people in this area. WOODRUFF: Well, let me finally ask you about politics on the part of Democrats, some of whom are privately saying they are supporting the president, because they think it will hurt them politically if they go up against the president on this. They'll look unpatriotic. KENNEDY: Well, people are going to make their own judgment on this issue, as they make it on any other, and they're going to make it on the basis of a variety of different factors. That's never changed in... WOODRUFF: Including politics. KENNEDY: Including, I suppose, their own political interests. That's nothing terribly unusual for politicians to make. We like to believe that that's -- they'll be making it for other reasons, but that's -- we are dealing with some realities on this case. And I would hope that they would exercise their best judgment on it. I think the overwhelming majority will. There may be some that won't, but I think we are going to have the people that vote on it (who will) vote their conscience.
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