| A few days ago, we heard that several of New Jersey's Republican Congressmen, fearing for their electoral lives in 2008, seem to be preparing to shift their positions on Iraq. Among those Congressmen is longtime Bush rubberstamp Jim Saxton (R-03).
When asked if Saxton has even considered changing his stance, [Press Secretary Jeff] Sagnip said it was "possible."
Such an election year conversion won't fool voters in the 3rd district. Because Jim Saxton has already demonstrated he has neither the judgment nor the leadership to be trusted when it comes to Iraq.
One of the most damning examples of Jim Saxton's failures as Congressman came in the run-up to the Iraq war. At the time, Saxton was a senior member of the Armed Services Committee and the chairman of the subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Warfare & Capabilities (He still retains these positions). In those high-ranking positions, Jim Saxton had an obligation to ask the tough questions and do the kind of oversight that could have helped prevent the current debacle in Iraq.
Instead, Saxton was busy leading a crusade against France.
Gritty details after the flip. |
| It seems that instead of wondering why one of our longest and best allies would oppose Bush's plan to invade Iraq on false pretenses with no reconstruction plan, Jim Saxton was too busy threatening France that he and the Congress would take their ball and go home if France didn't fall in line behind Bush.
First, Saxton wrote his colleagues a letter saying America and Americans should boycott the Paris Air Show if France didn't support the invasion.
January 31, 2003
"[My letter] will ask that Americans, American companies and Armed Forces not participate in the 45th Paris Air Show if France continues to oppose the potential use of force to insure that Saddam Hussein complies with United Nations resolutions concerning weapons of mass destruction," said Saxton, who is heading up the new House Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee.
Then, he wrote a resolution to discourage the government and American companies from supporting the air show.
February 13, 2003
"We are sending a strong signal to Americans who would travel to the Paris Air Show, to U.S. companies who participate in the show and to our own U.S. Air Force which flies in the show, that we as a nation should avoid attending the show if France continues to oppose the United States and its allies in facing off with Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction," said Saxton, who is heading up the newly created House Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee. "We want to send a clear message to the government of France: the United States and our allies have been there for France in that country's darkest hours. We expect a reasonable degree of support in the war on terrorism."
Next, Saxton wrote a bill to bar the Department of Defense from participating in the Air Show at all.
February 27, 2003
"We want to send a clear, simple message to the government of France," Saxton said. "We expect their cooperation in our efforts to combat terrorism and stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Their lack of support in the United Nations in disarming Saddam Hussein has led me to believe that the French government does not want to cooperate. The United States was there for France in the 20th century, we expect France to be there for the United States in the 21st. If the U.S. military is a no-show at the Paris Air Show, then this message could not be made any clearer."
Then, he wrote a bill to prevent French firms from getting any US government contracts in the rebuilding of Iraq.
March 5, 2003
Congressman Jim Saxton today introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that would block any French company from participating or receiving any U.S. government aid or financing in any reconstruction of Iraq in a post-conflict setting.
"The position of the government of France encourages Iraqi defiance of United Nations Resolution 1441," said Saxton, who is heading up the newly-created House Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee. "In fact, the French position may be well-received in Baghdad and encourage Saddam Hussein to continue not to cooperate with U.N. inspectors."
Of course, when he got a hearing scheduled on his silly bill to block DoD from the Paris Air Show, Jimbo was puffed-up with pride like a songbird!
March 12, 2003
"There should be no mistake on the part of the French government," Saxton said. "The United States Congress, indeed most American people, have strong feelings about a French position that undermines the international pressure we're trying to put on Iraq to comply with U.N. resolutions and avoid military conflict."
Testimony on Saxton's bill, H.R. 1023, and on U.S.-France security relations, will be heard by the full Armed Services Committee.
"The best way to avoid war is to present a united front that demands Saddam Hussein disarm," said Saxton, the fourth ranking Member of the 61-seat committee. "France has led an effort to derail that leverage, the direct result of which is an emboldened Iraq. The United States stands with its allies to enforce multiple U.N. resolutions that require Saddam Hussein to give up chemical and biological weapons, and cease his efforts to acquire nuclear weapons."
Incidentally, that hearing was scheduled for exactly one week later, on March 19, 2003-- the very day President Bush announced the launch of his disastrous Iraq war. And two months later, he patted himself on the back for a job well done, having ensured his anti-France crusade had been inserted into that year's Defense Authorization.
Jim Saxton's had plenty of time to show real judgment and real leadership when it comes to Iraq. In the months before the war, he could have been doing the kind of oversight that could have derailed this war. Instead, he was too busy concentrating on a crusade against all things French. Saxton's failure to do his duty has helped give us a war with thousands of brave young Americans killed, tens of thousands wounded, and over half a trillion taxpayer dollars spent for what? A sectarian civil war in Iraq that's spiraling more out of control with each day.
It's for exactly this reason that any Saxton flip-flop on Iraq (which I personally doubt will happen) would fail. Such a transparent attempt at political survival after years and years of dancing to Bush's Iraq tune won't fool district residents. Come 2008, voters in NJ-03 will be looking for real leadership and real change, not the kind of failed judgment and blind Bush-loyalty of Jim Saxton. |
