[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 18, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10226-S10227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE BOSNIAN SITUATION

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I will take just a moment to comment on 
the leader's remarks. I believe that the leader's remarks are totally 
appropriate with regard to the Bosnian situation, and I feel that this 
should not be a partisan issue. This is a moral issue that appeals to a 
strong feeling throughout the country, I think, that something has 
happened here in Bosnia that goes against the very nature of the way we 
believe countries should be treated.
  In my view, what the majority leader has said about the right to self 
defense is the key to this issue. There are a number of arguments that 
are going to come up that this will Americanize the war, to lift the 
arms embargo; that it is better to do it multilaterally versus 
unilaterally. But that all is to the side of the central issue, which 
the majority leader has pointed out, and that is: How in the world can 
we say that a country cannot defend itself? What would give us that 
right?
  A terrible mistake was made in putting an arms embargo in a situation 
where one side had all the armaments and the other side was very poorly 
armed. I think we have to do everything we can to have a debate that 
does not make this a partisan issue. And to reiterate what the majority 
leader has said, all the arguments that are made have been made time 
and time again to justify delaying lifting the arms embargo. But he 
correctly points out that there is never a good time. No matter 

[[Page S 10227]]
what we do to try to lift the arms embargo, there is some excuse why it 
is not the right time to do it.
  I say this as a person who, in his first month or two as a U.S. 
Senator, offered the first resolution I ever offered in this body to 
lift the arms embargo on the Bosnian Moslems. That was 2\1/2\ years 
ago.
  The situation in Bosnia today would be very, very different had we 
lifted the arms embargo at that time. I have appreciated the fact that 
we have had, on many occasions, a good bipartisan effort to try to lift 
this arms embargo. If I can pick one issue since I have been here that 
really has not been partisan and should not be partisan, it would be 
this very issue.
  So I look forward to the debate when this comes up. Nothing could be 
more urgent. I hope very much that we have an overwhelming vote in 
favor of the proposal, as at least described by the leader in his 
remarks.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I may speak 
for as long as I need to speak on the proposal for urban regulatory 
relief zones in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is 
so ordered.

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