Terry Everett, March 22, 2004

On March 19, 2003, U.S. and Coalition forces launched Operation Iraqi Freedom. One year later, Saddam Hussein's regime is out of power, the former dictator is sitting in prison, and most importantly, Iraq is no longer a supporter of Al Qaeda and other terrorists.

We are more secure today because a dangerous regime with a history of aggression and links to terrorist organizations is no more. This was a regime that developed and used weapons of mass destruction against its own people and against others in the region; a regime which demonstrated a profound hatred of the United States and a strong desire and a growing potential to do us harm.

While no chemical or nuclear bombs have yet been found in Iraq, it is clear that Saddam Hussein's regime maintained an ambitious WMD program. As weapons inspector David Kay recently noted, Saddam's weapons makers designed his secret WMD program "to allow future production at some time." Iraq maintained research sites, documents, equipment and, most importantly, a cadre of experienced weapons scientists that could reestablish and run production lines once the U.N. tired of sanctions. Former Iraqi officials also admitted to Dr. Kay that "a lot of material went to Syria before the war, including some components of Saddam's WMD program."

Saddam Hussein's ties to terror have been shattered, and 46 of the 55 most wanted regime members have been captured or killed. However, as the recent communications of senior Al Qaeda associate al Zarqawi show, there are many terrorist elements that hope to return Iraq to its dark past. As democracy and freedom expand in Iraq, terrorists and their tactics will become more desperate. To combat these terrorist elements, America's armed forces, with our Coalition allies, will continue to mount aggressive offensives against the remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime and foreign terrorists.

The new Iraqi police and security forces are taking greater responsibility for protecting their new nation and the Iraqi people. More than 150,000 Iraqis, including 75,000 new Iraqi police personnel, are on the job.

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution commending the valiant efforts of our men and women in uniform for liberating Iraq, and affirming that America and the world have been made safer with the removal of Saddam Hussein from power.

As President Bush put it, "We had a choice: either take the word of a madman, or take action to defend the American people. Faced with that choice, I will defend America every time. September the 11th, 2001, was a lesson for America, a lesson I will never forget, and a lesson this nation must never forget. We cannot wait to confront the threats of the world, the threats of terror networks and terror states, until those threats arrive in our own cities. I made a pledge to this country; I will not stand by and hope for the best while dangers gather. I will not take risks with the lives and security of the American people. I will protect and defend this country by taking the fight to the enemy."

Clearly, "taking the fight to the enemy" was and is the right thing to do.

Congressman Terry Everett represents the 2nd Congressional District of Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives.