Congress will find that the present Iraqi regime constitutes a clear and present threat to the peace and stability of the region, the international petroleum markets and thus the vital interest of the United States such that the United States would be justified in going to war with Iraq. That finding should not end Congressional consideration of an authorization to the executive to proceed to institute the Second Iraqi War. It must then proceed to consider the cost of doing so and then balance the cost of engaging in war with Iraq and the following occupation against the value to America of the results we may to be obtained by doing so. It must determine if the game is worth the candle.

The cost of war is paid in more than bombs and blood. Fuel and lubricants must be provided for tanks, trucks, ships and planes. Troops, their equipment and supplies must be transported 1/3 of the way around the world and then housed and stored. Airplanes and Ships must be repositioned. All of this costs money and all before the first sortie is flown, the first cruise missile is launched or the first regiment marches. Munitions must replaced as they are used. Troops must be fed, sheltered and cared for. War is a costly business.

There is the cost on the homefront as well. Petroleum must be diverted from the civilian economy to supply the war engine. The National Guard and Reserves must be mobilized to meet force requirement, replace troops in garrison duty and provide for expanded homefront defense roles. Mobilization will divert our most skilled and productive workers from out farms and factories. Professionals of every discipline will be diverted to lead the military effort. Those too are part of the costs of war and must be taken into account.

Those costs, direct or indirect, must be paid now from an economy that is faltering and not yet recovered from its slump. Those costs must be paid from a federal exchequer already $157 Billion in the red at the last count. A decade ago we incurred $60 Billion to pay for the First Iraqi War and it only lasted 90 days. We cannot expect that this Second Iraqi War with an objective of conquest and not mere repulsion of the Kuwaiti invasion will be as easy or short lived. Indeed, when we are successful we can look to a long and costly occupation as a result. America cannot afford to go to war on the cheap. We must be willing to make the investment in victory.

That means that before Congress authorizes war it must determine how it is to be paid for. The time to make that hard choice is now, before the cost is incurred. We cannot maintain a strong economy at home and fund the adventure abroad on borrowed money. If we learned nothing from the Soviet experience in Afghanistan and our own in Vietnam it should be that we cannot have guns and butter without jeopardizing both.