Congressman: U.S. Plans Iraq Attack

Rep. Graham Says Attack Will Be Soon; White House Won't Comment

(AP)  The United States plans a major attack to overthrow Iraq's Saddam Hussein, U.S. Rep. Lindsey Graham said Wednesday as he arrived with President Bush for a meeting with South Carolina firefighters.

"I don't know when, but I know this president is not going to let Saddam Hussein stay in power," said Graham, R-S.C. "If you leave him in power it will just be a matter of time before he gets a hold of weapons of mass destruction."

"I don't know when it is going to be, that's up to the military planners. But I do know that it will be sooner rather than later," he said.

Graham, seeking the GOP nomination for the seat being vacated by Sen. Strom Thurmond, said after a speech here Tuesday night his information comes from intelligence briefings, contact with the Bush administration and Graham's attendance at a recent international conference in Germany.

White House spokeswoman Jeanie Mamo would not talk about Graham's statement, pointing to a March 20 statement by press secretary Ari Fleischer that the Bush administration has made no decisions "about that phase in the war on terror."

Mr. Bush attended a $1 million fund-raiser for Graham in Greenville on Wednesday.

Graham, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, took part in a discussion on terrorism and homeland security with other U.S. House members from South Carolina at a meeting sponsored by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

"We're looking at going after Saddam Hussein, not to contain him, but to replace him," Graham said.

U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, was surprised by Graham's statement.

Spratt noted Vice President Dick Cheney did not receive support from Saudi Arabia on his recent visit. The United States would need land bases in the Middle East for such an assault, Spratt said.

"I'm not sure we want to launch off carrier decks," he said.

Spratt noted the Persian Gulf War came only after months of negotiations with countries in the region.

Graham said he thinks Turkey would provide the bases.

The United States doesn't need a large international alliance, just the support of key allies, Graham said.

"We will have those allies, they will be there with us," he said.

Spratt, who said he supports the overthrow of Hussein, said a United States attack against Iraq would be complicated by the continuing action in Afghanistan, the fighting between the Israelis and Palestinians, and the need to use heavy ground forces.

"I would be surprised if it was the next order of business with the Bush administration," Spratt said.