FIRST REGULAR SESSION
House Concurrent Resolution No. 29
92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Whereas, for more than a decade, the United States and other nations have pursued patient and honorable efforts to disarm the Iraqi regime without war; and
Whereas, on November 8, 2002, the United Nations Security Council approved Security Council Resolution 1441 under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter by a vote of 15-0, giving Iraq "a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations"; and
Whereas, on November 21, 2002, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's North Atlantic Council unanimously approved a declaration stating, "We deplore Iraq's failure to comply fully with its obligations which were imposed as a necessary step to restore international peace and security and we recall that the Security Council has decided in its resolution to afford Iraq a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations under relevant resolutions of the Council."; and;
Whereas, Iraq's conventional, chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and its demonstrated willingness to use weapons of mass destruction pose a grave threat to world peace; and
Whereas, Iraq is in material breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions, including United Nations Resolution 1441; and
Whereas, the clear and present danger posed by Saddam Hussein's regime requires a united response from the community of democracies; and
Whereas, the United States of America has the sovereign authority to use force in assuring its own national security; and
Whereas, pursuant to United Nations Resolutions 678 and 687 the United States and our allies are authorized to use force in ridding Iraq of weapons of mass destruction; and
Whereas, the President of the United States declared on March 17, 2003, that the decades of deceit and cruelty have reached an end and that Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours; and
Whereas, Saddam Hussein and his sons remain in Iraq and have rejected the President's demand; and
Whereas, the security of the world requires disarming Saddam Hussein without delay:
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-second General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby patriotically support the work to advance liberty and peace in the Iraqi region; and
Be it further resolved that the power and appeal of human liberty is felt in every life and every land, and the greatest power of freedom is to overcome hatred and violence, and turn the creative gifts of men and women to the pursuits of peace; and
Be it further resolved that free nations have a duty to defend their people by uniting against the violent and oppressive; and
Be it further resolved that we support our national leaders in bringing to justice Osama bin Laden and those responsible for terrorist attacks on United States soil and its citizens; and
Be it further resolved that now that the "moment of truth" is upon us, we, the members of the Missouri General Assembly, Ninety-second General Assembly, First Regular Session, express our strongest affirmation of support for the actions of the President and offer our unfettered dedication to all members of the United States' armed forces; and
Be it further resolved that we hereby call upon all state-wide elected officials to publicly stand by us in unity as brothers and sisters in freedom in support of our resolutions proclaimed herein by sending a letter of support to the President of the United States and the members of the Missouri Congressional delegation; and
Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for the President of the United States and the members of the Missouri Congressional delegation.