Berry in Cabot says war in Iraw is far from over

U.S. Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark., said Tuesday in Cabot that the capture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein would probably not end violence in that country.

Asked about the Saturday night capture of Hussein by U.S. military forces, Berry called it a good thing, but nothing that is likely to end the hostilities in Iraq or the global war on terrorism. The U.S. led a coalition earlier this year that ousted Hussein’s government and accused it of possessing weapons of mass destruction and having ties to international terror organizations.

“I think it is a positive development,” the congressman said. “But the worst mistake we can make is to think that’s the end.

How actively Hussein participated in the war is a question that Berry says he thinks no one can answer right now.

“[The capture] just solves a part of the mystery,” he said. “We didn’t know where he was and now we do.”

Berry’s office in the Cabot mini-mall near city hall was filled to capacity Tuesday afternoon with constituents who dropped by to visit with the congressman, who was making his rounds before heading back to Washington in January. The conversations ranged from restaurants to a Senate appropriation bill that includes several million dollars for an indoor rain forest in Iowa with Berry holding forth that such an expenditure when there is no money for highways is nonsense.

Berry criticized the Medicare reform bill that passed Congress in November, which included provisions to create a prescription drug benefit for senior citizens. Berry predicted nothing good will come out of it, in part because it expressly prohibits the federal government from negotiating with drug companies to lower prescription drug prices for senior citizens.

“This is the Bush plan,” he said. “It was written to protect drug companies and insurance companies.”

The reception was the third he has held since Congress recessed for Christmas, Berry said. He added that he would be at home in Gillette Tuesday night, but after that he would head to northeastern Arkansas for more meetings and more events.




The Leader Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2003 Berry in Cabot says war in Iraq is far from over



		Ward Mayor Art Brooke (from left) presents Congressman Marion Berry with a gift as Lonoke County Judge Charlie Troutman looks on.

	By joan mccoy, Leader staff writer

	U.S. Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark., said Tuesday in Cabot that the capture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein would probably not end violence in that country. Asked about the Saturday night capture of Hussein by U.S. military forces, Berry called it a good thing, but nothing that is likely to end the hostilities in Iraq or the global war on terrorism. The U.S. led a coalition earlier this year that ousted Hussein’s government and accused it of possessing weapons of mass destruction and having ties to international terror organizations. “I think it is a positive development,” the congressman said. “But the worst mistake we can make is to think that’s the end. How actively Hussein participated in the war is a question that Berry says he thinks no one can answer right now. “[The capture] just solves a part of the mystery,” he said. “We didn’t know where he was and now we do.” Berry’s office in the Cabot mini-mall near city hall was filled to capacity Tuesday afternoon with constituents who dropped by to visit with the congressman, who was making his rounds before heading back to Washington in January. The conversations ranged from restaurants to a Senate appropriation bill that includes several million dollars for an indoor rain forest in Iowa with Berry holding forth that such an expenditure when there is no money for highways is nonsense. Berry criticized the Medicare reform bill that passed Congress in November, which included provisions to create a prescription drug benefit for senior citizens. Berry predicted nothing good will come out of it, in part because it expressly prohibits the federal government from negotiating with drug companies to lower prescription drug prices for senior citizens. “This is the Bush plan,” he said. “It was written to protect drug companies and insurance companies.” The reception was the third he has held since Congress recessed for Christmas, Berry said. He added that he would be at home in Gillette Tuesday night, but after that he would head to northeastern Arkansas for more meetings and more events.