BY PAUL BARTON
Enquirer News Service
WASHINGTON -- Tristate members of Congress expressed strong support Thursday for the strikes against terrorist facilities in Sudan and Afghanistan.
They also refused to question the timing of the strikes, which came in the same week as the president's disclosures regarding Monica Lewinsky.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called the strikes "the right response to cowardly attacks against U.S. citizens in Kenya and Tanzania."
Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, said, "If our response to terrorist acts is not swift and severe, we are only endangering the lives of more Americans in the future."
Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lucasville, said, "I believe it is proper our nation has responded to this terror so swiftly and strongly." He added, "The message of this action is clear: The United States will not tolerate the intimidation, injury or murder of Americans by cowardly and unscrupulous extremists unwilling to live by the laws of civilized society."
Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati, a member of the House International Relations Committee, also voiced support. "I am supportive of taking the strongest possible action against terrorism, wherever it occurs around the globe."
Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Nashville, Ind., ranking minority member on the International Relations Committee, said the action could be justified on self-defense grounds to other members of the United Nations. "Protracted war against terrorism is necessary," he said.
Like others, Mr. Hamilton dismissed the notion that the strikes were ordered to take attention away from the Monica Lewinsky investigation. "I think the charge of political motivation here is irrelevant," Mr. Hamilton said.
While supporting the action Thursday, Mr. McConnell said he was concerned by reports that surfaced last week that the State Department did not respond to requests to upgrade security at East African embassies.
