[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 190 (Thursday, November 30, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S17838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 BOSNIA

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. The second point I want to make, Mr. President, and 
it is very much in the forefront right now, and that is the situation 
where the President has asked for our support to send troops to Bosnia.
  Mr. President, I do not think we should send troops to Bosnia, and I 
do not feel that the President has made the case, made the difference, 
shown the difference, between a national interest and a national 
security interest that would warrant the loss of our precious American 
lives.
  Our young American men and women that signed up to be in the military 
did sign up knowing that they might be put in harm's way. They did that 
willingly because they believed that they should be able and willing 
and ready to fight for our freedom, and to protect the freedom and 
strength of the United States of America.

  There is one thing implicit, Mr. President, in that decision. That is 
that we would have the judgment to send them where our national 
security interest was at stake. I do not think our national security 
interest is at stake, Mr. President.
  That is why I am so strongly urging that the President reconsider, 
that the President look at what is happening right now. People talking 
about changing the agreement in Paris that has been already initialed 
in Dayton; Serbs talking about not thinking Americans are neutral in 
this; talking about throwing rocks at Americans when they come in.
  Mr. President, can we be thinking of the security of those troops as 
we are wondering if this is a national security issue that should 
warrant the loss of their lives? Mr. President, I do not think the case 
has been made.
  I am going to fight it in every way that I can. I think we have other 
options to support the people of Bosnia. I do want to support those 
people. They have suffered greatly. I want to help them. There are many 
ways that we can.
  I do not think American troops on the ground should be the only test 
to show that we are committed to the people of Bosnia. We are 
committed. We can show it in many other ways.
  I want to keep our troops home. I want to save our troops for when 
there is a security threat to the United States.
  We can go out and help the people of the world who are not as 
fortunate as we are, and we are a generous people and we will do that. 
But giving our lives in those causes is not what I think is necessary, 
nor is it the responsible role of Congress to let it happen. I yield 
the floor.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for 10 
minutes in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kyl). Without objection, it is so ordered.

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