a href=”https://www.dailyegyptian.com/contactus.html”bDE Staff Reporter/b/abrspan class=”realsmall”bDaily Egyptian/b/span

Area lawmakers find common ground in war

Legislators support troops; hope war will end soon

Before war with Iraq was certain, necessity of attacking Saddam Hussein and his regime caused debate throughout the United States that included private citizens and lawmakers on all levels.

Individuals as well as groups have taken strong stances in support or opposition to war. Illinois lawmakers from Springfield to Washington, D.C., have had conflicting stances on taking preemptive action.

But now that the troops have crossed into Iraq, legislators carry a common message of support for the troops, despite the uncertainties of the war ahead.

The first attack directed at Saddam Hussein is being called a target of opportunity, but may have only caught Saddam off guard.

The ultimatum from President George Bush was an obvious indication that war would begin, state and national officials said, but even they were surprised that the opportunity to target Saddam directly came so soon.

Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, expected the war to begin sometime that week.

“My first reaction was, it’s time,” he said. “I thought we needed to do it now. The only thing that surprised me was a precision attack to get rid of Saddam himself.”

While U.S. soldiers may not have known exactly when they were to head for Iraq, they were ready. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, was an electronic specialist in the Marines before being elected to office. He said the troops are prepared for war.

“They are relieved that they are doing something other than waiting,” Bost said. “Now they can move forward to achieve their goals and get the mission accomplished.”

U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., who is running for the presidency in 2004, said in a statement, that he supports Bush and the U.S. military.

“In the history of our great nation, these are the best-trained and best-equipped men and women we have dispatched overseas,” he said. “And even though some legislators have not supported a war, they are supporting the troops.”

Stacey Zolt, spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the senator supports the troops in Iraq fighting for freedom, despite his misgivings about Bush’s methods.

“While he has questioned the path the Bush administration took to get us to this point, he does believe we need to stand behind our men and women in combat and hope for a quick and safe return for them,” she said. “We were not given any heads up to as when the attack would come however, it is something that members of Congress had been expecting for some time and we believed was imminent.”

After the attack, the Iraqi regime presented Saddam on television, but questions include whether the man pictured was really Saddam or a double. And if the man was Saddam, was the video pre-taped?

Bost said the man addressing the Iraqi nation might not have been Saddam.

“It looked like a heavy guy,” Bost said. “We will not know until troops go in and inspect the rubble.”

Then, around 3 a.m. on Monday, Iraqi government officials hyped the broadcast of Saddam to be historic, but David Gillies, press secretary to U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, said he found Saddam’s statement to be anything but significant.

” The congressman doesn’t believe it was historic – just regular propaganda,” he said.

But Luechtefeld is more worried about the conflict based on Saddam’s history.

“The thing that frightens me is that Saddam has gone through this once before and knows we are a superior militarily,” he said. “What will he do different this time?”

Tom Schafer, spokesman to the governor, said Gov. Rod Blagojevich does not want the heightened security level to alarm Illinoisans.

Although Illinois could be targeted because it is a major center of transportation to the rest of the country and the state has the most nuclear power plants in the country, he said he is not aware of any threat to the state at this time.

“We would recommend that they have a flashlight and a supply of water and canned foods and batteries and a radio,” Schafer said. “Duck tape is one of those things that if indeed there was a chemical or biological attack, may be appropriate to seal a particular room.”

How long will it last?

The length of the war depends on when the objective of Operation Iraqi Freedom is accomplished. It also depends on how much support there is from other countries.

Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army reserves. He would only be called to war if he gave up his congressional seat.

“There are some democratic governments, though, that aren’t supportive and we have to respect that and move forward,” he said at a WSIU-TV roundtable discussion that will air 8 p.m. Thursday.

As a Marine, Bost prays every night for the soldiers.

“It’s a situation that no one likes where no one wants war and a case like this we’re at the last option,” he said.

Even if the war was to end tomorrow, Gillies said that the objective includes assisting the Iraqi people after the conflict is over.

“Hopefully hostilities will be short, over within a matter of weeks but it does seem that we will have to maintain a presence in the country for some times,” he said.

Reporter Lindsey J. Mastis can be reached at [email protected]