[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 36 (Friday, March 25, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 THE WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM SOMALIA

  Mrs. KASSEBAUM. Mr. President, over the last few days, we saw the 
withdrawal of the last of our troops from Somalia. I want to, at this 
moment, express my deep admiration and respect for the U.S. forces who 
served in that war-torn country.
  When we look back over the past year and a half, it is easy to lose 
sight of what our troops accomplished in Somalia. Before the arrival of 
the United States in December of 1992, more than 300,000 Somalis--
mostly women and children--had died due to starvation or disease. 
Another half million were at risk of death.
  Now the famine is largely over. Our humanitarian mission accomplished 
what it had set out to do: Crops have been planted and harvested; 
feeding centers have been turned into schools in many parts of the 
country; and despite some banditry the country is much more stable than 
it was before our troops arrived.
  I am sure there are many who would question whether we should have 
engaged in this mission. We will be debating for years the impact of 
our mission in Somalia--whether it was the correct thing to do; whether 
we handled it right; where did it go wrong. But it would be a real 
disservice not to express our great respect and gratitude for our 
troops who served in Somalia. These troops served at our request, with 
resolutions passed in the House and Senate, as well as under two 
Commanders in Chief--first President Bush, and then President Clinton. 
Our forces undertook a difficult mission which achieved much. They 
fulfilled it with the highest standards of our Armed Forces and did 
what our country asked of them to do.
  So as we reflect on the pluses and minuses of the Somali operation, 
we must not forget those who went to serve who were asked to go serve 
there and the great benefit which they accomplished for struggling 
peoples of a ravaged country.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from 
Minnesota [Mr. Durenberger].
  Mr. DURENBERGER. I thank you, Mr. President.
  Mrs. KASSEBAUM. Mr. President, I am sorry. I wonder if the Senator 
from Minnesota will yield for a moment for a request that I have been 
asked to make for Senator Domenici.
  Mr. DURENBERGER. I am pleased to yield the floor.
  Mrs. KASSEBAUM. I appreciate that.

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