U.S. Planning Attack on Iraq

Effort to Overthrow Saddam Will Come Before End of Fall, Legislator Graham from Seneca Says
by Jim DuPlessis

March 27, 2002 The State (Columbia, South Carolina)

The United States will launch a major military action to overthrow
Iraq's Saddam Hussein by fall, U.S. Rep. Lindsey Graham told an audience
of business leaders in Columbia on Tuesday night, on the eve of
President Bush's visit to South Carolina.

Graham, R-Seneca, later said his information is based on intelligence
briefings, contact with the Bush administration and his attendance at a
recent international conference in Germany.

White House spokeswoman Jeanie Mamo wouldn't comment. She provided a
March 20 statement from press secretary Ari Fleischer, who had said the
Bush administration hasn't made any decisions "about that phase in the
war on terror."

Graham made his comments during a discussion of terrorism and homeland
security at the end of a question-and-answer session with a panel of
U.S. House members from South Carolina.

"Before the end of summer or fall we'll be in a major engagement with
Iraq," he told the group of about 250 people attending the event
sponsored by the S.C. Chamber of Commerce at the Adam's Mark hotel.
"We're looking at going after Saddam Hussein - not to contain him, but
to replace him," he said.

"We're not going to wait for the world to give us permission."

Rep. John Spratt, D-York, who was also on the panel, expressed surprise
and said Vice President Dick Cheney had not received the support from
Saudi Arabia on his recent visit to the Middle East that would provide
the land base needed for such a campaign.

"I'm not sure we want to launch it off carrier decks," Spratt said.

Spratt said the previous President Bush launched a land war in 1991
against Iraq after months of negotiations that achieved the backing of
the United Nations and key allies in the region.

Once such a multilateral approach has
been used, it's difficult to act unilaterally, Spratt said.

Graham responded that he believed Turkey would provide bases.

Afterward, Graham said the United States didn't need a large
international alliance, but the support of key allies.

"We will have those allies - they will be there with us," he said.

After the event, Spratt said he supports the overthrow of Saddam
Hussein, but felt the international conditions make action unlikely by
fall:

• The war in Afghanistan continues. The Taliban have been thrown out
of power; the political conditions remain precarious.

• The conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians is raging, and
conditions could be worsened by war against Iraq.

• The lack of a land base from which to launch a ground offensive
complicates things. "You've got to put troops in there. They have to
have armor. You don't want light troops."

"I would be surprised if it was the next order of business with the Bush
administration," Spratt said. "It becomes a matter of priorities and
practicalities."

Copyright 2002 The State
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