Congressman says U.S. justified in going to war with Iraq
U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Hollidaysburg) said the United States has found evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, in the form of two mobile biological/chemical weapons laboratories, which justifies the march to war. Meeting Thursday with the Herald-Standard editorial board, Shuster, whose 9th District includes eastern Fayette County, said that even as U.S. casualties mount in Iraq, the effort to bring democracy and stability to the region has been worth the effort.
“Have we found the mother lode (of weapons of mass destruction)? No. But I think in time we will,” said Shuster. “We’re finding it piece by piece.”
Although the national media is “focusing on the nasty stuff” going on in Iraq, Shuster said much good is being done daily. He pinpointed the problem as a small band of Saddam Hussein loyalists bent on disrupting the U.S. presence.
Shuster said the big difference between Vietnam and Iraq is that the latter “is not a civil war at this point,” as was the Indochina conflict that ended nearly three decades ago.
He said that public support for a U.S. military presence in Iraq is an important consideration, but he doesn’t think the support level has eroded.
Taking a shot at the Clinton Administration, Shuster said that President Bush, a fellow Republican, had taken military action against Hussein based on the element of surprise, as the congressman believes the deposed Iraqi dictator didn’t think the United States would attack.
“Let’s face it: We had an administration for eight years that wasn’t willing to do this,” said Shuster. “(Now) we have a historic opportunity to reshape the face of the Middle East.” He predicted that democracy would spread beyond Iraq’s borders once it is established, and he noted that the U.S. military presence has had a positive effect on the behavior of neighboring nations.
Regarding the rebuilding of Iraq, Shuster said the oil-rich nation has the wealth to pay for much of that effort, which includes extensive work on utility systems such as water, sewerage and electricity.
Turning to the domestic economy, Shuster said he plans to parlay his seat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee into money for water and sewer projects in the expansive 9th District. He also plans to ensure that the Appalachian Regional Commission remains funded by the federal government and that maximum money is available for highway projects and the Connellsville Airport.
If the ongoing airport improvement project succeeds in expanding a runway to 5,500 feet, Shuster said, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa developer Joe Hardy reportedly has ambitious expansion plans for the Wharton Township facility.
“He’s going to shut down his (airport) and double the size of Nemacolin,” said Shuster.
With the current federal highway transportation funding act, known as TEA-21, set to expire this year, Shuster said one of his goals would be convincing the Bush administration to fund its successor bill at a higher level.
“I don’t know that this (new) bill is going to be passed this year. I think there may be an extension,” said Shuster. He said a key component is how to put more cash into the highway trust fund at a time when money is tight all around.
One possibility is shifting revenue from the federal ethanol tax from the general fund to the highway trust fund, while another is permitting cities to build new toll lanes on existing highways to ease congestion, said Shuster.
Investing in transportation projects, such as the Mon/Fayette Expressway, results in a great return on assets, he added.
Regarding the domestic economy, Shuster said a recent round of tax cuts should stimulate growth.
In particular, he noted the potential impact of the child tax credit and the fact that interest rates are near an all-time low, spurring a continued round of home refinancing that also frees up disposable income.
The nation’s worsening picture on deficit spending can be chalked up to three things, according to Shuster: a recession that began in 2000-2001, the impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the nation’s ramp-up for war in Iraq.
Without the tax cuts made early in the Bush presidency, Shuster said, “there would be even less money in the kitty.”