[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 13 (Thursday, February 10, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: February 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
NATO SETS STAGE FOR AIR STRIKES IN BOSNIA
(Mr. ENGEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is about time. As the siege of Sarajevo
approaches the end of its second year, the West has finally agreed to
respond to the Bosnian tragedy. NATO will use air strikes if the Serbs
do not pull their heavy guns 12 miles from the city within 10 days or
engage in further attacks before that deadline arrives.
It is shameful that the United States and Europe have acquiesced in
the land grabs and ethnic cleansing of Serbian President Slobodan
Milosevic. Even more shameful is the fact that the deaths of more than
60 people in a Sarajevo market place were required before the West
would use its muscle to halt the slaughter.
Although sanctions were imposed in May of 1992 against Serbia and a
no-fly-zone was extended over Bosnia, our actions thus far have been
ineffective. If we continue to deny Bosnia the right to defend itself,
let us at least stand up to those who kill innocent civilians.
No American will ever forget the image shown on television last week
of snow stained with blood, where only minutes before children were
sleigh riding. While these pictures stick in our consciousness and
drive us toward action, the real tragedy is that this type of carnage
happens every day.
Now is the time to act. I call on my colleagues to join in support of
the use of NATO air power to lift the siege of Sarajevo. The bloodshed
must end.
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