Today I am signing into law H.R. 4655, the "Iraq Liberation Act of 1998." This Act makes clear that it is the sense of the Congress that the United States should support those elements of the Iraqi opposition that advocate a very different future for Iraq than the bitter reality of internal repression and external aggression that the current regime in Baghdad now offers.

Let me be clear on what the U.S. objectives are: The United States wants Iraq to rejoin the family of nations as a freedom-loving and law-abiding member. This is in our interest and that of our allies within the region.

The United States favors an Iraq that offers its people freedom at home. I categorically reject arguments that this is unattainable due to Iraq’s history or its ethnic or sectarian make-up. Iraqis deserve and desire freedom like everyone else. The United States looks forward to a democratically supported regime that would permit us to enter into a dialogue leading to the reintegration of Iraq into normal international life.

My Administration has pursued, and will continue to pursue, these objectives through active application of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. The evidence is overwhelming that such changes will not happen under the current Iraq leadership.

In the meantime, while the United States continues to look to the Security Council’s efforts to keep the current regime’s behavior in check, we look forward to new leadership in Iraq that has the support of the Iraqi people. The United States is providing support to opposition groups from all sectors of the Iraqi community that could lead to a popularly supported government.

On October 21, 1998, I signed into law the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, which made $8 million available for assistance to the Iraqi democratic opposition. This assistance is intended to help the democratic opposition unify, work together more effectively, and articulate the aspirations of the Iraqi people for a pluralistic, participatory political system that will include all of Iraq’s diverse ethnic and religious groups. As required by the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for FY 1998 (Public Law 105-174), the Department of State submitted a report to the Congress on plans to establish a program to support the democratic opposition. My Administration, as required by that statute, has also begun to implement a program to compile information regarding allegations of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes by Iraq’s current leaders as a step towards bringing to justice those directly responsible for such acts.

The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 provides additional, discretionary authorities under which my Administration can act to further the objectives I outlined above. There are, of course, other important elements of U.S. policy. These include the maintenance of U.N. Security Council support efforts to eliminate Iraq’s weapons and missile programs and economic sanctions that continue to deny the regime the means to reconstitute those threats to international peace and security. United States support for the Iraqi opposition will be carried out consistent with those policy objectives as well. Similarly, U.S. support must be attuned to what the opposition can effectively make use of as it develops over time. With those observations, I sign H.R. 4655 into law.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

THE WHITE HOUSE,

October 31, 1998.

• There was violence across the country as U.S. Marines halted their offensive in Fallujah, the scene of bloody fighting with Sunni insurgents this week.
  
  
• U.S. forces retook the southern city of Kut, two days after Ukrainian forces abandoned their base under attack from militiamen loyal to the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
  
  
• Anti-U.S. Shiite militiamen still held partial or full control over the southern cities of Najaf and Kufa. Officials said it appeared there were links ’’at the lowest levels’’ between the Shiite militia and Sunni Arab insurgents who have long fought U.S. troops in central Iraq.
  
  
• With the surge of violence, officials say Gen. John Abizaid, the war’s top commander, likely will keep more troops in Iraq than planned. All or parts of the 1st Armored Division, scheduled to turn over responsibility for the Baghdad area to the 1st Cavalry Division next week and return home, is likely to be ordered to stay.
  
  
• A senior aide to al-Sadr denied that the radical Shiite cleric’s militia was involved in the kidnapping of three Japanese and threats to burn them alive. Japan vowed not to withdraw 530 troops after kidnappers threatened to burn the three Japanese captives alive unless Tokyo withdraws its noncombat soldiers. Militants were holding at least six foreign hostages.
  
  
• Australia said it would keep troops in Iraq despite escalating violence and a string of kidnappings. Canberra said to ’’cut and run’’ would be bad for Iraq and global security.
  
  
• The Philippines said it would keep its troops in Iraq, but Thailand said a further deterioration of the situation may force a pullout of its 443 troops in the southern city of Karbala, scheduled to stay through September.
  
  
• South Korea stood by plans to send 3,600 troops to Iraq despite rising violence there, but placed severe restrictions on travel to Iraq after the kidnappings.