[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 146 (Saturday, October 8, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            CLINTON JUSTIFICATION FOR INVASION RINGS HOLLOW

                                 ______


                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 7, 1994

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, several weeks ago President Clinton 
appeared on national television to tell the American people that that 
U.S. military force was necessary to restore the duly elected leader of 
Haiti. The American people were told in somber tones that it is wrong 
to tolerate a regime that did not recognize the democratic will of its 
people. ``If General Cedras won't honor the election of Aristide, then 
the United States must invade.''
  But these noble sentiments seem hollow indeed when one looks at the 
way the Clinton administration shamelessly and for pure political 
expediency condoned the usurpation of the Democratic process in the 
neighboring Dominican Republic. This Member will remind his colleagues 
that Haiti shares the island of Hispanola with the Dominican Republic, 
and that this nation has been ruled by Joaquin Balaguer--who is blind, 
near-deaf, 87 years old--for 20 of the last 28 years.
  In elections this summer, Balaguer stole the election. And this is 
not the first time that Mr. Balaguer has rigged an election. By 
preventing tens of thousands of opposition supporters from voting, the 
ruling junta in the Dominican Republic clearly and unambiguously 
thwarted the will of the people. Election observers such as our former 
colleague Steve Solarz made it clear that the elections were a fraud. 
Indeed, the National Democratic Institute, the democracy-building arm 
of the President's own party, called the elections fraudulent.
  But, Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Dominican Republic was necessary 
for the Clinton administration's Haiti policy. You see, we needed the 
support of Balaguer and his cronies if we were to seal the border with 
Haiti. So instead of expressing outrage at the blatant usurpation of 
the Democratic process, we give the Dominican army $15 million for 
helicopters and vehicles so that they can patrol the border with Haiti. 
The Clinton administration may have complained a little, but in the end 
acquiesced for another 2 years of illegal rule in the Dominican 
Republic.
  Mr. Speaker, already the weak rationalizations that President Clinton 
used to justify the Haiti invasion are being laid bare. First we are 
told that General Cedras is a war criminal; but now we are assured that 
he is a man of honor. And now we see that the President's desire to 
protect the sanctity of the electoral process is a sham.
  This Member would simply say that the American people do not take 
kindly to crass hypocrisy for the sake of political expediency. Is it 
any wonder that the American people don't trust the Clinton 
administration's foreign policies.

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