Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)

Like all wars, this one is a tragedy. It should not have happened and could have been avoided. However, the main responsibility for it lies fairly and squarely on the shoulders of Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi authorities.

Twelve years ago, almost to the day, I recall discussing the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein. There were ten United Nations resolutions dealing with that issue but each time Saddam Hussein found a way to evade his responsibilities. The then President Gorbachev, with the assistance of the French Government, spent months trying to resolve that issue but it was not resolved until the military response was taken. Following the tragedy of that war, Saddam Hussein signed a ceasefire agreement and withdrew from Kuwait. That withdrawal was part of the settlement but the resolution is still outstanding. In fact, the events we are discussing today are part of the unfinished business of the 1990s in terms of Saddam Hussein and Iraq.

There are those who question whether this action is legal. The legality of the action in 1990 was questioned then but that action brought an end to the savagery inflicted on the people of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein and his regime. This individual, and those surrounding him who carry out his wishes, will not respond to any measure short of the action currently taking place in Iraq. The tragedy is that while we are here discussing this issue, soldiers and civilians are dying in a conflict which could have been avoided had the Iraqi authorities taken the necessary steps to comply with the UN resolutions.

In terms of dealing with the weapons inspectors, Saddam acted in a similar manner 12 years ago. He played games and tried to substitute one resolution with another. Even when a special framework was put in place to allow time for him to withdraw from Kuwait, he did not abide by it. The result was that the operation started at that time was not completed, but it appears it will be completed now. As we speak, American forces are two or three days from Baghdad. That should terminate the issue of Saddam Hussein and his administration in a very short time. It is long overdue.