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Kemp: Declare War! Wes VernonWASHINGTON - Jack Kemp, the 1996 GOP vice presidential nominee, is calling on Congress to formally declare war on "the entire fundamentalist Islamic terrorist network.” Jeanne Kirkpatrick, dubbed by the media as "the iron maiden” for her tough stands as a foreign policy adviser in the Reagan administration, joined the former presidential candidate in his statement, as did William Bennett, former education secretary and "drug czar.” They are both colleagues in Kemp’s Empower America organization. Appearing on the Sean Hannity radio talk show Thursday, Kemp was asked to identify that target of his proposed declaration. He recalled that in 1998, the Islamic Jihad "issued a formal declaration of war on the United States.” In part, that declaration called on "every Muslim who believes in God, and hopes for a reward, to obey God’s command to kill Americans and plunder their possessions wherever they find them and whenever they can.” The 18-year congressman (1970-1988) cited three acts of war the fundamentalist Islamic jihad community has committed against our civilization:
'We Know Who It Is' "We know who it is. We know where they are,” said Kemp, arguing this declaration is needed "a - to show we’re serious, b - to gather the resources necessary, c - to prepare the American people, and 4 - to do more than the War Powers Act, which gives the president only 30 to 60 days; then he’s got to go back to Congress. I don’t think that’s enough.” The statement issued by Kemp and his colleagues says, "We are at war with all fundamentalist Islamic entities waging war against the United States and our civilization, whether they assume the identities of Osama bin Laden’s Al Quaida, The Islamic Jihad or any other amorphous group, or other ‘non governmental organization’ that is credibly known to be part of this abominable network of terrors.” They added the declaration of war should also apply to foreign nations that sponsor, harbor or support individuals and entities at war with the United States. As NewsMax.com reported Wednesday, efforts on Capitol Hill to insert into a joint congressional resolution wording that would have acknowledged "a state of war” exists with Islamic terrorists were rejected, despite many congressional speeches loudly proclaiming that Tuesday’s terrorism was "an act of war.” Going beyond that to a formal declaration for war would be all the more difficult - unless the public is seen as demanding it. Lawmakers are very sensitive to public opinion. On the radio program, Hannity observed "we don’t know who they [the targets of the declaration] are.” To which Kemp replied that the declaration of war would "undertake the authority, the responsibility and the resources at the federal level and all levels” to give to the armed forces and intelligence agencies to "do whatever is necessary” to find Osama bin Laden and the Islamic base that is launching the jihad against our civilization. "They could find them,” Kemp stated. It would also tell the countries that are harboring, supporting and sustaining Osama bin Laden that they are going to be held responsible. As NewsMax.com discovered Wednesday, Congress was long on rhetoric but a bit more tentative on action. That may change. As Kemp, Kirkpatrick and Bennett put it, "We are at war,” and Congress has the responsibility to act accordingly.
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