Crapo: Administration built the Right Case

Washington, DC â?? Following Secretary of State Colin Powellâ??s address to the United Nations this morning, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo said the case against Iraq grows stronger every day. In the speech to the UN, Powell cited â??irrefutable and undeniableâ?? evidence that Saddam Hussein is hiding weapons of mass destruction.â??The President has continued to pursue every option available to our country regarding the threats posed by Iraq, and todayâ??s speech further underscores the evidence that Saddam Hussein continues to evade and deceive the international community,â?? Crapo said. â??It is apparent that we must press the UN to enforce its order that Iraq disarm or we will need to build a coalition of nations to prevent the threat posed to the world. The evidence presented today, along with that given by the President in his State of the Union address, is compelling, and we cannot allow such defiance to continue unabated. We will continue to work with our friends and allies around the world as we try to resolve the concerns of the international community over the threats posed by the current regime in Iraq. The evidence further demonstrates that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction and the delivery capacity to use those weapons. A decade of defiance from Saddamâ??s regime must be stopped, and every future delay only brings us closer to the heinous possibilities of his unleashing chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons.â??A statement from Crapo is available on satellite this afternoon at the following time and coordinates:2:00-2:15 p.m. Mountain/1:00-1:15 p.m. PacificC-BandGalaxy 3Transponder 6 VerticalDownlink 3820Audio 6.2/6.8# # #FOR INTERESTED MEDIA: A radio actuality is available by calling 1-800-545-1267. Press 327 at any time during or after the greeting and instructions. You can also access the actuality through the Internet at http://crapo.senate.gov or www.senate.gov/src/radio/crapo.