Armey says attack on Iraq not justified without provocation

The number two Republican in Congress say the U-S should not attack Iraq unless provoked. The Bush Administration has developed plans for an invasion, but House Majority Leader Dick Armey says certain conditions must be met before an attack is launched.Armey says Americans do not make “unprovoked attacks” against other nations. Armey says not allowing United Nations inspectors inside Iraq’s weapons facilities isn’t provocation.Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein last night on television warned Iraqis to be prepared for a U-S attack.Armey says he “gets a kick out of Saddam Hussein” — a figure Armey says would be referred to as a “blow hard” in Texas. Armey says Hussein can “rant and rave” all he wants, but we should leave Iraq alone unless Hussein orders an attack on another country. He says the other Arab nations will always have some empathy for other Arabs and Muslims and will always have some suspicion of the U-S. He says if the U-S acts without provocation, there won’t be support from other Arab countries.Armey, who was in Iowa today campaigning with a Republican Congressional candidate Stan Thompson, made his comments during a news conference in Des Moines.