[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 46 (Friday, March 29, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H3211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE MICHAEL NEW CASE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, it is an unusual thing for me to come
over and do a 5-minute special order. I very seldom do that. Part of
the reason that deals with the issue of Michael New, who was stripped
of his position and discharged from the U.S. Army because as a military
hero he was twice decorated, he refused to wear the blue beret and the
shoulder patch of the United Nations. As some people say, Michael New
should be thrown out. He was insubordinate, he did not listen. That is
what the Army said in their court martial and their proceedings.
But I have a resolution in with the gentleman from Maryland [Mr.
Bartlett], a good friend of mine that says that the Congress of the
United States should reinstate Michael New with his rank and back to
the Army because he brings to the attention of the American people more
than just this individual obstinacy. He said he took an oath to the
U.S. Constitution, not to the charter of the United Nations. And, quite
frankly, I agree with him, and I think we have taken this new world
order business a little bit too far.
I think the Michael New case is more than about a soldier that has
been thrown out of the Army. I think it is a microcosm of how we as a
Nation have gone so far that we have our troops under foreign command
wearing the uniforms of other identities. And, quite frankly, all the
money we give the United Nations, I think they blow an awful lot of it.
They should be doing more peacekeeping so we would not have to send in
our troops in the first place.
I just wanted to come over here for the New family, because it was a
special order that was put together by the gentleman from Maryland [Mr.
Bartlett], and I stand in support of Michael New and I oppose this new
world order madness that has our troops under foreign command, wearing
foreign uniforms, and I think Michael New is not an individual that has
just gone off rebelliously. He is a twice-decorated veteran. He is a
patriot, and I think he takes a stand that should become the subject of
great debate here in the Congress of the United States.
So I thank you for belaboring that issue with me, and Mr. Bartlett
will give more information on the resolution itself because I just came
over spontaneously and wanted to offer my support.
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