A Quick Look At Reactions In Congress

Rep. Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House Sen. John McCain, Senate Armed Services Committee Sen. Dan Coats, Senate Armed Services Committee Sen. Jesse Helms, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Rep. Dick Armey, House Majority Leader Rep. Peter King, House International Relations Committee Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman, House International Relations Chairman Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, (R-N.Y.) Sen. Strom Thurmond, Senate Armed Services Committee Rep. Jim Leach, House International Relations Committee Rep. Matt Salmon, House International Relations Committee Rep. Richard Gephardt, House minority leader Sen. Tom Daschle, Senate minority leader Sen. Orrin Hatch, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Sen. John Ashcroft, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, House International Relations Committee Steve Forbes, 1996 presidential candidate

"We cannot afford to have people who think that they can kill Americans without any consequence. So this was the right thing to do. We have not yet gotten assessments of the damage, but I hope that it has been very decisive."

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"I believe we're all aware that there are people and organizations throughout the world who are bent on destroying America, everything we stand for and inflicting harm on American citizens. It is the obligation of the president of the United States to respond to those. I believe, I must add, that this adminstration for the last seven months has neglected compelling national security threats besides this ... I hope that the president will not confine his activities to just this."

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"I think we fear that we may have a president that is desperately seeking to hold onto his job ... I think the president has irreparably broken the bond of trust that is necessary for any president to be effective and to be a leader of the free world and I think that places the United States in a dangerous situation and for those reasons I believe the president ought to do what's best for the country and that is to step aside."

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"I, for one, am exceedingly proud of the U.S. military for their valor ... Sooner or later, terrorists around the world will realize that America's differences end at the waters edge, and that the United States' political leadership always has, and always will, stand united in the face of international terrorism."

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"The United States has an absolute duty to attack terrorism where it lives and breeds, in order to prevent future attacks on American citizens around the world. The American people stand united in the face of terrorism. The men and women who undertook this mission deserve our praise and prayers."

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"At a time like this, the Republicans have to support the president. It would be dangerous for the country to speculate publicly at a time like this."

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"The president has taken appropriate action in ordering military strikes ... It was important that we struck before the terrorists could mount additional attacks, and more innocent people were killed and maimed by their cowardly bombs."

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"Terrorists are roaming the world almost at abandon. America is right to seek them out and destroy them wherever they try to hide. The action was bold and appropriate."

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"I was not advised of today's operations until shortly before president Clinton made his public statement regarding the strikes. Such military operations are certainly risky, and it is my sincere hope that there were no injuries or fatalities among the American personnel involved in these operations."

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"It would be a mistake to cast doubt on president's motives. The fact is that two indefensible terrorist acts were perpetrated on U.S. embassies causing the deaths of a large number of American and African citizens. Response is appropriate."

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"I hope this signals a renewed effort to fight the spread of chemical and biological weapons. The administration has on three recent occasions blocked U.N. weapons inspectors from conducting surprise inspections of Iraq's chemical weapons sites. We should treat the threat from Iraq as seriously as we have treated the threat from these terrorists."

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"Given the information gathered on the groups involved in recent terrorist attacks against Americans, I commend the president for acting to protect American lives and interests."

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"I was briefed on the operation last night by Sandy Berger. I've also spoken today with the president. It is clear that the air strikes were ordered only after conclusive evidence showed that bin Laden's terrorist operation had carried out the deadly bombings of the American embassies in east Africa and other terrorist attacks, that it was planning future attacks against American interests, and that it was actively seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction."

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"I'm sure the president realizes that some would say this is a 'Wag the Dog' situation. It's an appropriate foreign policy response to terrorism at an appropriate time having obtained appropriate evidence and knowledge to justify the action."

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"There is a cloud over this presidency. It was created by the president's decision to lie to the American people for eight months ... the cloud of mistrust over President Clinton must not be a barrier to support for U.S. action today."

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"Once the fire from the retaliatory strike dies down, the American people are going to find out that it is the Clinton Administration's wrongheaded policies that resulted in the creation of this terrorist haven in Afghanistan in the first place."

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"This is also a reminder of how important it is that we keep our intelligence and military capabilities strong and vigilant. President Reagan had it right: terrorists can run, but they cannot hide. Hopefully, this action marks the return to that sound approach."

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Thursday, August 20, 1998

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