Reid speaks to Nellis troops

Jace Radke

Wednesday, April 16, 2003 | 10:04 a.m.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., told a group of about 100 Nellis Air Force Base personnel Tuesday that he considers North Korea to be a greater threat to the United States than Iraq was.

"I hope we don't have to do what we did in Iraq in North Korea," Reid said during a question-and-answer session with airman during a visit to the base. "North Korea can't be ignored. As we speak they are developing the ability to sell plutonium."

Reid said that he thinks that a diplomatic solution can be found in North Korea, but added that troops should understand that they will continue to be relied upon in the immediate future.

"I think your overtime is not yet over," Reid said.

Reid said that he thinks it's unlikely that military action will be taken against Syria, a country that the Bush administration has alleged has helped hide Iraqi officials and is developing weapons of mass destruction.

"Syria does not have much military power compared to the hundreds of thousands of troops that Iraq had," Reid said. "I don't think Syria wants any part of the United States, and I think that they'll come around."

Reid, who is in Las Vegas during the Senate's Easter break, said that his main purpose Tuesday was to act as a cheerleader for the troops at Nellis, and to let them know that their efforts in support of deployed personnel in Iraq are not going unnoticed.

"Just before I went in to talk to the troops one of the commanders told me that these men and women are envious of the people that are over fighting in Iraq," Reid said. "Those deployed troops are only able to do what they are doing in Iraq because of what these people are doing here."

Among the questions asked of Reid by airmen were whether or not Nellis was in danger of being closed and if the defense budget would be cut. Reid responded that he can't see Nellis ever being closed because of the three-million-acre test and training range, and Reid said the defense budget will be increased.

Reid also met with spouses of deployed troops while visiting the base.

"That's the kind of thing that pulls at your heartstrings," Reid said. "The spouses are lonesome and are ready for their loved ones to come home. One woman told me her first child is due in two months and she hopes her husband is home to see it."