[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 120 (Monday, July 24, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S10564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                 BOSNIA

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I wanted to take a few moments to share 
with my Senate colleagues my concerns regarding our current policy in 
Bosnia.
  The situation in Bosnia is a tragedy, there is no question. It is a 
tragedy borne by interventionist policies that have not worked, and 
will not work if allowed to continue. Most important, unless we reverse 
current policies, we are inviting for increased U.S. involvement, in 
the form of air support now and ground troops tomorrow. That must not 
happen.
  The conflict between the Moslems and Serbs that reside in Bosnia did 
not begin with the fall of the former Yugoslavian Government. The 
conflict has roots of animosity that are far deeper--roots that stretch 
back for centuries. This is just the latest chapter, the latest 
reincarnation, of a brutal civil war between ethnic factions. What 
makes this latest chapter of conflict more tragic is the fact that one 
side has been prevented from defending its people by governments and 
organizations that claim to support their interests.
  Mr. President, I believe we should not send U.S. ground troops to 
Bosnia for two basic reasons. First, there is no clear objective, no 
national security interest that justifies deploying American forces 
into a regional civil war.
  American lives are sacred. As an army lieutenant who served in 
Vietnam, I strongly oppose sending our young men and women to Bosnia as 
a separate force or under U.N. command. It is plain common sense that 
you do not commit American forces without a clear plan or purpose. To 
do otherwise would not be fair to our troops. It would not be fair to 
their families. At this time, no clear plan or purpose exists that 
would justify U.S. troop deployment.
  Second, I oppose sending American troops to Bosnia because I believe 
it would only make matters worse in the region. I am concerned that the 
insertion of American forces to carry out current policies in Bosnia 
would only extend the conflict. Again, Mr. President, this is a civil 
war. Past history suggests that when foreign governments intervene in a 
civil war, they serves to exacerbate the conflict.
  We must not forget our own history. We had a civil war of our own--
the bloodiest, costliest conflict in our Nation's history. It was a 
long, brutal affair. Yet, had England or France entered on the side of 
the Confederacy at that time--which they considered doing--I believe 
our civil war would have gone on far longer--meaning more pain, more 
suffering, more lives lost on both sides.
  The same is true in Bosnia. We have seen outside parties, mainly the 
United Nations, intervene in Bosnia already. This intervention included 
an arms embargo that has prevented a legitimate government from 
defending itself. It has prevented the citizens of a legitimate 
government from defending their homes and property. This intervention 
has done nothing more than allow the conflict to drag on with no end in 
sight. This policy of intervention has failed. And unless we recognize 
this now, we will only make matters worse for the people in the region 
and for our own people at home.
  So, again, Mr. President, let me state that our current 
interventionist policy in Bosnia has failed. It is wrong. And if 
allowed to continue, I fear it will mean U.S. troops in Bosnia. That 
must not happen. I oppose placing U.S. troops under our own leadership 
or under the authority of the United Nations in Bosnia in the midst of 
a Bosnian civil war. There is no commonsense justification for doing 
so. The Government of Bosnia has not asked for U.S. troops. The people 
of Bosnia know that U.S. troops will only make the conflict last longer 
and would claim more lives unnecessarily. They simply want the right to 
defend themselves. I agree. Let us give them that right, and let us 
keep our American forces here at home.


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