Nevadans: Lawmakers must support decision

Benjamin Grove, Dan Kulin

Tuesday, March 18, 2003 | 11:22 a.m.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., found himself swept up in a futile last-minute swirl of diplomacy Monday in Chile as the United States set a course for war.

Gibbons left Thursday for weekend meetings with government and mining industry officials in Chile to study how the nation's mining regulations and markets compare favorably to Nevada.

But his attention quickly was diverted to conflict with Iraq as Gibbons, in concert with the White House, hastily arranged to meet Monday with President Richard Lagos in a final effort to convince Chile to support the United States. Chile is one of 15 members of the U.N. Security Council, where Bush was seeking nine votes of support for conflict with Iraq.

On Monday President Bush scrapped the months-long effort to corral the nine votes and decided to press ahead without a U.N. blessing. Gibbons' meeting was canceled.

Gibbons watched Bush's speech and got on a plane for Washington.

In Washington today Gibbons said he came within 30 minutes of his meeting with Lagos before it was canceled.

"They remained undecided, and that was the reason there was a stepped up diplomatic effort," Gibbons said.

Gibbons said Chile had a proposal of its own to avert war. But it lacked the "timeliness and consequences" the Bush administration wanted, Gibbons said.

Gibbons said diplomacy had run its course on all fronts.

Amid a somber mood in Congress, Nevada lawmakers said it was important now for lawmakers to support the nation's troops. The House and Senate are expected to approve a symbolic resolution of support for the U.S. military after the assault begins.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., continued to criticize Bush's failure to assemble more allies to fight and pay for war and reconstruction. He said on "Face to Face With Jon Ralston," on Las Vegas ONE, Cox cable Channels 1 and 39, that the president should have launched a "full-court press" to build a coalition similar to one assembled by Bush's father in the first Gulf War.

But Reid joined other critical Democrats in saying the nation stands behind its president and soldiers now that war is near. He said he and the rest of the Appropriations Committee would get U.S. soldiers "everything they need."

If there is a war, Reid said, the best-case scenario would be: "Saddam Hussein is killed in the first volley ... and then we have to get rid of his children."

Reid said that would not be difficult because "they have more enemies than their father."

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., said Americans should pray for the men and women of the armed forces and their families.

"I agree with the President that every diplomatic avenue to a solution to this crisis has clearly been exhausted and that we must utilize our sovereign authority to remove the threat under which Americans are currently living," Ensign said.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., agreed it was time for action. She said Bush did not need the second U.N. resolution.

"France, Russia and Germany obviously felt that it was still possible to get Saddam Hussein to see the light, but it had become increasingly apparent that he was reticent to do that," Berkley said.

Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., said, "I hope this crisis will be resolved quickly."

Reid also said he hoped oil prices wouldn't spike sharply.

Speaking on "Face to Face With Jon Ralston" before Bush's speech, Reid said he has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to look into whether oil companies are "manipulating prices" and causing high prices at the gas pump.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Reid, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said.