Iowa’s Congressmen and Senators are offering very sober assessments of the world situation with war apparently imminent. Last night, President Bush gave Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to get out of Iraq to avoid a U-S-led ground assault. Senator Charles Grassley says Iraq poses a danger that must be dealt with. Grassley says people respect the President’s judgment of the danger, and they’re ready for war. Grassley, though, says the past few weeks of diplomacy were frustrating to him because attacking Iraq in February would have been better for our troops and our economy. Grassley says he thinks it “was a waste of time to wait” the last two or three weeks because the weather conditions for the military invasion are less favorable now. But Grassley says he understands why Bush worked the diplomatic channels. Grassley says Washington is a solemn place. Grassley says there’s a feeling that the U.S. will do well, but also a “certain caution that things might not go so well.” In a prepared statement, Senator Tom Harkin — a democrat — said he’s “deeply disappointed President Bush has not given inspections a chance to work in Iraq.” Harkin said Bush’s efforts at diplomacy have been “dismal.” Congressman Jim Leach, a republican from Iowa City, says the only thread of hope that war can be avoided is if Saddam seeks asylum, and that’s unlikely. Leach says whatever one’s beliefs about whether the war should occur and whether it will decrease or accelerate terrorism, “we’re now all in a position of wanting to pray for our troops, that the war will be short, decisive and make for a better world.” Leach says there are more unknowns now than he’s ever seen.Leach says with the announcement that the U.S. will lead a coalition against Iraq without UN backing and the fact that there may be more terrorist attacks on home soil make this a “very trying moment.”Leach says if the war actually accelerates terrorism, that’ll be a very unhappy circumstance — as would letting Hussein continue to develop weapons of mass destruction. Leach says this seems to be a situation with “all bad options.” Congressman Steve King, a republican from Kiron, says everything stopped in D.C. while the President spoke last night. King says it’s his sense that the U.S. has done all it could diplomatically, and it is a far greater risk to do nothing. King says he’s behind the President, and while war is regrettable, there’s no way to avoid it at this point. In a prepared statement, Congressman Jim Nussle says it’s up to Saddam if he is “disarmed by force.” Nussle says he’s “confident President Bush will provide the wise leadership America needs.” Congressman Leonard Boswell says as a military veteran, his thoughts have quickly turned “to those who it seems all but certain will be called upon to take up arms for our nation.”
