[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 199 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S18585-S18586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 BOSNIA

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, several of us last night were opposed to 
the President's program to mass deploy 

[[Page S18586]]
troops into Bosnia. I remember several talks that many of us who had 
been over there had that contradicted what the administration says was 
total peace and a calm environment, with no hostilities since the 
cease-fire went off. I can remember being before the Senate Armed 
Services Committee reminding General Shalikashvili and Secretary Perry 
that, in fact, the firing had not stopped, and the bombs were still 
going off and then only to find out they had never been up there.
  Those of us who are opposed to sending the troops over now will give 
full support to the troops, full support to the effort, hopefully, 
something in the way that would cause this to be over there and the 
troops would come home.
  I read this morning--regretfully some news accounts, one of them from 
the Associated Press--after the treaty was signed and while world 
leaders are still making speeches in Paris, evening explosions and 
several heavy machine gun bursts echoed around the front lines of a 
Sarajevo neighborhood. Bosnian police officials say one shell impacted 
the roof of a building close by while two rifle grenades were fired 
toward Bosnian Government positions in the area. Machine gun burst 
pocketed a southern wall of the Holiday Inn hotel. I know the Presiding 
Officer was over there, as I was. This is the hotel that used to be the 
Embassy for the United States. It now just has a few windows left and 
they are still using it as a hotel. They probably will not be now. It 
sounds as if things are still happening over there, and hopefully with 
all of our help and support to the troops that we can accomplish the 
mission that our troops are over there for.
  I personally plan to spend some time over there. I have gotten to 
know several of the troops that have come from my State of Oklahoma who 
will be stationed over there. I am hoping I will be able to have a 
better answer for them than I had before when they asked the question: 
What is the mission? So we will give our full support to the troops 
over there and to the mission as the President has described and 
hopefully it will be over very soon and our troops will come home.
  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. LEAHY. 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. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I may proceed 
in morning business for 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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