[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 188 (Tuesday, November 28, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17601-S17602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       OPPOSED TO SENDING TROOPS

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I am opposed to sending troops to Bosnia 
based on the information I now have. I base that judgment, in part, on 
my own experience as a lieutenant in the Army in Vietnam many years 
ago. It has been my observation that our soldiers have a very hard time 
in a civil-war situation in another country, and that is because our 
soldiers are frequently used essentially as shields. We value human 
life so highly that we react very strongly to any body bags coming back 
or to any casualties, as we should.
  There is probably no other country in the world that reacts to its 
soldiers being killed or captured as we do in the United States, and 
again, Mr. President, we should act that way. Any action by our 
soldiers will be shown on television in living color. If there are any 
funerals, they will be a nationwide event. U.S. soldiers become shields 
and hostages and symbols very quickly.
  If we had a vital interest that we could accomplish there, I would be 
for 

[[Page S 17602]]
it. Unfortunately, it is my strong feeling that the various civil wars 
in Yugoslavia since the 15th century have been augmented by virtue of 
having foreign troops come into what is now Yugoslavia and enter into 
the civil war.
  The current civil war there has been extended because foreign troops 
have come. Let us analogously consider our Civil War in the United 
States. There were not foreign troops involved, and it was settled. It 
was a bloody, gruesome war, but it was settled. Let us just imagine 
foreign troops had come to our Civil War. We probably would still be 
fighting it today.
  What is happening in Yugoslavia is that they are on the border 
between East and West, between the Moslem world and Christian world, 
between all the empires of the East and West. Every time they have a 
civil war, foreign troops come and get involved, and we are part of 
that pattern. We are doing the same thing.
  I do not believe our troops are going to be able to solve the problem 
there. I think they are going to be shields and hostages. I think, as 
occurred in Haiti, our best intentions will not result in our intended 
consequences. We are receiving reports that in Haiti, all the money our 
taxpayers spent, plus the presence of the U.S. troops, have been for 
nought, because now President Aristide is indicating he wants to stay 
on, or at least that has been the indication. There is rioting in the 
streets, and it does not seem we accomplished the objectives the 
taxpayers were asked to pursue.
  So I know our President is acting in the best faith, but based on my 
personal experiences as a soldier in Vietnam, I believe this is a 
mistake. Some people have said to me, ``Are you willing to support the 
President?'' Of course, I want to support the President, but I have a 
great deal of difficulty because of my personal experiences. I served 
two tours of duty in Vietnam as a lieutenant and based on that 
experience, I am opposed to our troops going into Bosnia.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill 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.

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