Did John Kerry make a case for unilateral, pre-emptive action against Iraq during a 1997 "Crossfire" appearance?

No one seems to know for sure. But here's what he said in the well of the Senate, in 1997, on the same topic:

While our actions should be thoughtfully and carefully determined and structured, while we should always seek to use peaceful and diplomatic means to resolve serious problems before resorting to force, and while we should always seek to take significant international actions on a multilateral rather than a unilateral basis whenever that is possible, if in the final analysis we face what we truly believe to be a grave threat to the well-being of our Nation or the entire world and it cannot be removed peacefully, we must have the courage to do what we believe is right and wise."

He sure knows how to get to the point, doesn't he?

The full text of his speech appears to be classic Kerry: Saddam's a monumental threat; we must get rid of that threat quickly; but we need to rally the U.N.; but the U.N. might not go along; but we need to get rid of the threat; U.N.; threat; U.N.; threat; Well, in the end, we gotta do what we gotta do. (But only if it makes sense.)

So, uh, in that regard it appears the John Kerry today is entirely consistent with the John Kerry of 1997.