Paul Wellstone Iraq War Speech
His Senatorial career was bookended by opposition to war with Iraq. His first speech in the Senate was against the 1991 Gulf War, and his defiance earned him a famous sobriquet from President George H.W. Bush, who asked: "Who is that little chickenshit?"
Then, earlier this month and at great risk to his political career, Wellstone voted against the current President Bush's authorization of force for another war on Iraq.
On October 7 in the well of the Senate, he said, "Of gravest concern, obviously, are the questions raised about the possible loss of life that could result from our actions. The United States could post tens of thousands of troops in Iraq and, in so doing, risk countless lives of soldiers and innocent Iraqis."
He also mentioned the need to be "consistent with international law and the framework of collective security."
-- from "The Progressive Mourns Paul Wellstone"
The Progressive, October 25, 2002
