Nick Smith, March 23, 2003

Emotions ran high in Congress this past week. In addition to the war, we were arguing the 2004 budget. Along with other budget hawks, I felt that we should hold down spending as a way to reduce the deficit. With 435 members in the House, there were many ideas about appropriate spending and taxing levels. Tempers flared and rhetoric was heard as five different budgets were scheduled to be debated on Thursday.

Then on Wednesday night the war started in Iraq. Like members of Congress, most Americans couldn’t help but think about the danger our soldiers would face. Some argued that we should postpone the budget debate. It was decided, however, that we should do the budget and a resolution honoring our troops. With emotions running high, we took the last votes at 2:30 am on Friday passing the resolution and a conservative budget that slows down the increase in spending.

As I write this, allied forces are advancing against scattered opposition. There have been casualties from accidents and battle. I can’t help but think of the grief that never left our family when my brother Chan was killed when his jet fighter went down. As a member of Congress, I voted for the resolution to allow the use of military force and know it makes me partially responsible for casualties. Even though stopping this tyrant is the right thing to do, it still gives one pause.

We should not underestimate the challenge of establishing democracy in Iraq after the conflict. While different groups are now unified in opposition to Saddam Hussein, we should not be surprised to see interests and goals diverge after he is removed. We need to establish order, remove senior Iraqi officials, and disarm the country. On the economic side, we will need to end the sanctions against Iraq, and restart up the oil industry and other industries needed to alleviate the poverty and hunger of the Iraqi people. After that, we need to bring the Iraqi people together in some fashion to write a constitution and establish a representative government.

The war will also affect the U.N. and our international relations. Both President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair have suggested that the U.N. could participate in the rebuilding of Iraq. French President Jacques Chirac, however, has now promised to block any U.N. resolution on the rebuilding that gives the U.S. and Britain leading roles. Such a resolution, according to Chirac, would justify the war after the fact. This new veto threat from France would make the already extensive damage to the reputation and effectiveness of the Security Council worse.

If the French and others persist in their reflexive opposition to American policies, it may become necessary to rethink our alliances and our diplomacy. We should not be under any illusion that France is being influenced by anything other than its own self-interest. The French want a prominent role on the world stage and they believe cutting down the world superpower helps them. But even more importantly, they are concerned about losing extensive contracts and trade relationships that they have bargained with Iraq (as do the Germans, Russians and others).

There are two wars taking place in Iraq: one military and one political. Losing either will put our future security at risk, as tyrants ruling rogue countries decide it will be to their advantage to possess weapons of mass destruction.

Congressman Nick Smith represents the 7th District Congressional of Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives.