Clinton’s Iraq Airstrikes During Impeachment Stir Controversy 🎯🇮🇶
#Triangulation – Occupy 2.5 News Blog

In December 1998, President Bill Clinton ordered airstrikes on Iraq. He said the goal was to stop Saddam Hussein from making weapons of mass destruction. But the timing raised eyebrows. Just one day later, the House of Representatives was supposed to vote on impeaching him1.

Operation Desert Fox

On December 16, U.S. and British forces began bombing Iraq. The mission was called Operation Desert Fox. Clinton said Iraq had refused to let United Nations inspectors check for banned weapons. “Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world,” Clinton said in a live address2.

The airstrikes were meant to punish Iraq for not following U.N. rules. Clinton claimed it was the only way to stop Iraq from making deadly weapons2.

Impeachment Vote Delayed

At the same time, Congress was about to vote on impeaching Clinton for lying about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. The vote was delayed because of the bombing3.

Speaker-designate Bob Livingston said Congress would “defer” the vote. Some members of Congress were suspicious. They said the bombing might have been planned to distract from Clinton’s legal problems3.

Critics Question the Timing

Many Republicans were critical. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said the timing seemed “suspect” and that Clinton needed to give more explanation4.

Still, Clinton denied it was political. “That’s not true,” he said. “What I did was the right thing for the country”5.

Public Opinion Backed the Bombing

Even though some politicians were upset, most Americans supported the airstrikes. A Gallup poll found that 74% of Americans approved of Clinton’s decision to bomb Iraq6. About 76% said they trusted Clinton to handle the situation.

After four days, the bombing ended. On December 19, Clinton was impeached by the House7. He stayed in office after the Senate voted not to remove him.

Conclusion

Clinton’s decision to bomb Iraq during his impeachment battle has never stopped raising questions. Was it about national security—or about politics? The answer may still depend on who you ask.

Footnotes

  1. Snopes. (2011). Did President Clinton launch military strikes against Iraq to distract from impeachment? https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-airstrike-impeachment/ ↩
  2. Clinton, W. J. (1998, December 16). Address to the Nation on Airstrikes Against Iraq. American Rhetoric. https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/wjclintoniraqairstrikes.htm ↩ ↩2
  3. CNN. (1998, December 16). Clinton orders airstrike on Iraq. https://edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/16/clinton/ ↩ ↩2
  4. Politico. (2007, December 16). Clinton orders air strike on Iraq: Dec. 16, 1998. https://www.politico.com/story/2007/12/clinton-orders-air-strike-on-iraq-dec-16-1998-007390 ↩
  5. CNN. (1998, December 17). Clinton denies Iraq strike was timed to impeachment. https://edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/17/clinton.denial/ ↩
  6. CNN. (1998, December 17). Poll: Most Americans support Clinton on Iraq. https://edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/17/iraq.poll/ ↩
  7. Wired. (1998, December 19). Mission accomplished. https://www.wired.com/1998/12/mission-accomplished/ ↩