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Congressional leaders irked they weren't told of strikes

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush White House did not inform congressional leaders of the airstrikes against Iraq before they occurred, overlooking a courtesy previous administrations extended to Congress and ruffling even Republican feathers.

Sources tell CNN that Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, complained to the White House about the oversight. Aides to other lawmakers described the slight as irksome.

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    Typically, military actions of this kind are disclosed to the bipartisan leadership of Congress and the chairmen and ranking members of the military and international policy committees. The disclosures are treated in strictest confidence, and are part of a larger strategy of keeping Congress informed and facilitating quick press releases complimentary of the underlying military action.

    But no one in the leadership was consulted, nor were members of the relevant House and Senate committees.

    "We prefer to be kept informed," said one senior Republican source. "We want to know what's coming and how to respond."

    The issue of consultation is very sensitive among congressional Republicans. They often complained bitterly about the lack of communication between the Clinton White House and Congress on several military actions. Republicans expected a new approach and were chagrined to be kept in the dark.

    "They should know better," another senior Republican aide said of the new White House. "Prominent members of Congress should be told. Of all people, Dick Cheney should know that. He's a former chief of staff, a former Secretary of Defense and a former leader of the House."

    Some congressional sources theorized the White House did not consult Congress in order to reinforce the appearance that the airstrikes were "routine" and unworthy of the type of congressional notification that would suggest a change of policy. Nevertheless, senior congressional sources said the Clinton White House notified congressional leaders the last time coalition partners attacked Iraqi sites outside of the north and south no-fly zones.

    "They can't have it both ways," said a Republican congressional source. "If it was not new, why did it go all the way to the president and require his authorization?"



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    RELATED SITES:
    United Nations
      • Office of the Iraq Programme
    The Iraqi Presidency
    Iraqi National Congress (Arabic and English)
    Iraq energy profile, U.S. Dept. of Energy

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