[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 63 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            U.N. PROTECTION FORCES ARE NOT PROTECTING BOSNIA

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, yesterday, the United Nations Protection 
Forces units in the United Nations declared safe haven of Tuzla again 
came under attack by Bosnian Serb forces. Once again, these forces 
requested NATO air strikes. And once again, the U.N. special 
representative, Yasushi Akashi, turned down their request.
  Well, the Nordic battalion cannot count on Akashi to come to their 
defense, but the Bosnian Serbs can. The Bosnian Serbs have an 
overwhelming advantage in tanks and artillery, but their biggest 
advantage appears to be Akashi and his refusal to use NATO air forces 
at his disposal--even when United Nations forces are under direct and 
serious attacks by Serb forces.
  I do not know how many times U.N. forces have requested air support. 
I would like to know, but apparently the Pentagon does not keep track 
of these requests--which is odd in view of the administration's support 
for this NATO-U.N. arrangement.
  The bottom line is that the United Nations protection forces are not 
protecting Bosnians--they can hardly protect themselves. The only 
rational way out of this absurd situation is to withdraw UNPROFOR and 
lift the arms embargo so that the Bosnians can defend themselves. As I 
mentioned here last week, if the administration does not move to lift 
the embargo in the near future, Senator Lieberman and I--and I think 
many others who were on the other side the last time--will offer our 
bill once again as an amendment to pending legislation. Lifting the 
embargo is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do, and now is 
the time to do it.

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