[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 13, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1140
 
                         FLAWED HAITIAN POLICY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
February 11, 1994, and June 10, 1994, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. 
Goss] is recognized during morning business for 5 minutes.
  (Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, here we stand again today with the threat of 
the use of an American military might on a nearby friendly neighboring 
country with no apparent justification for that. More signs, more 
indication, more heating up, more intensity. Why are we invading Haiti? 
Why are we even talking about this?
  I read in the paper today that those who are opposed to our invasion 
of Haiti using our military force, sending our troops into that 
country, taking on the Haitian army and the military, we are 
oppositionists, we are obstructionists, because we do not agree with 
the Clinton administration's policy that the only course left in Haiti 
is to go in there and shoot the place up and throw the military junta 
out and enforce democracy at the barrel of a gun. I do not think that 
is going to work, and I do not think most Americans think it is going 
to work.
  I would point out those media folks who suggest that this is a 
Republican tactic had better look around a little bit, because there 
are good Americans of all types who are opposed to the invasion of 
Haiti, and there are many Members on both sides of the aisle, of both 
bodies, who are very much opposed to using military might to invade 
Haiti.
  I maintain that there is no public support of a significant amount 
for such an invasion. There certainly is no justification that makes 
any sense that I have heard. And, even more puzzling, is why have not 
we had debate in this democratic institution, when we are talking about 
building democracy in Haiti, and yet we are bypassing one of the 
protective balances that we have in our own democracy; that is, 
deliberation in the House of Representatives, to weigh and balance such 
important matters when we are risking the lives of men and women in 
uniform in our country.
  The White House is out there trying to sell, sell, sell their Haiti 
policy to our allies, to the American people, to themselves, and, 
frankly, nobody is buying it.
  National Security Adviser Tony Lake has stepped up efforts to 
rationalize an invasion. First it was, well, it is a nearby country. 
Then it is, well, they have some drug traffic going in that country. 
Then it is, well, they may be destabilizing the region by the example 
they are setting down there. It goes on and on.
  This morning we read it is American credibility. We said we were 
going to do something, so, by gosh, we have to do it. Get out the 
aircraft carriers, get out the Marines, get out the Air Force, get out 
our full might of the American Army to establish our credibility.
  I wonder if Mr. Lake has weighed the credibility issue against the 
foolishness issue that is going to appear or the loss we are going to 
suffer among our other friends and allies in the Western Hemisphere who 
are going to wonder whether, if they do not do something exactly like 
we like, we are going to loose the same force on them and establish our 
form of democracy in their country at the barrel of a gun.
  We have also heard justification for this that it is to stop refugee 
flights and curb gross abuses of human rights. Well, I am telling you, 
when you start down this road, it is a slippery slope. We have many 
friendly neighbors, many good people we work with, trading partners, 
people we know and love, get along with well, who do not happen to be 
Americans, but happen to be here nearby and have refugee problems and 
happen to be involved in some drug traffic and have human rights 
problems going on in their country, as there are in our own country. 
Countries like Mexico and Canada. In Canada, they have a separatist 
movement going on up there. Are we going to unleash our military 
because we do not exactly like the way things are going, because this 
is a bad example for our environment?

  I think not. I think this is a very ill-advised policy that the 
administration has taken up in Haiti. There is talk now the whole 
hemisphere is behind it and is going to join us in an invasion force. 
There are some 17 countries that are going to provide some troops. It 
turns out that it would be less than 100 troops per country if it means 
out on an average, and, more than that, they are only going to come in 
in the second round. That is after the risks have been taken and 
stability restored by U.S. forces, and then these folks would come in 
and be peacekeepers, rather than members of an invasion. And there is a 
very big difference.
  An ABC poll released yesterday found that 73 percent of Americans 
polled oppose United States-led military intervention in Haiti. That is 
about three out of four Americans. Seventy-eight percent of those 
polled believe that the administration should ask permission from 
Congress before they make the decision to go into Haiti--over three out 
of four.
  Many of us are not even worried about the permission question. We are 
just asking for a rational justification, because I know and every 
Member knows, as sure as we stand here and participate, that we are 
regrettably going to be put in the position of explaining casualties to 
our constituents. When there is military might exercised, there are 
casualties, and it is our job to deal with that. That is part of a 
Representative's job. And I want to have a better answer when I have to 
look somebody in the eye and say ma'am, or sir, your son or daughter 
gave their life for our country for this purpose.
  There has got to be a better purpose than politics of the domestic 
nature, and that seems to be what is driving our Haiti problem. Now we 
are talking about getting out our aircraft carriers and doing these 
others things. I think it is a terrible direction to go, and I hope 
Americans will speak out and say ``no'' to the invasion of Haiti.

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