[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 36 (Thursday, March 26, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H1631-H1632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRAGIC U.S. POLICY IN RWANDA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hulshof). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House tonight to reflect on 
what we have seen on television and heard about, relating to the 
President of the United States' visit to Africa. I think all of us have 
witnessed the President as he has made his way across the African 
continent.
  I read in this morning's Washington Post, and I know it was covered 
by other newspapers, an account of what the President said. And he was 
in Rwanda when he made this statement. He said, ``We did not act 
quickly enough after the killing began.'' I believe he was talking to 
Rwandans.
  I want to talk about that statement in a second. But President 
Clinton will not be going to Somalia on this trip. In Somalia, our 
President took a humanitarian mission initiated by President Bush, and 
turned it into a $3 billion disaster.
  Remember, if you will, that President Clinton placed United States 
troops under United Nations command. Remember, if you will, that as 
Americans we watched in horror as our murdered troops were left under 
U.N. command, unable to defend themselves, were dragged through the 
streets of Mogadishu.
  Today, Somolia has slipped back into chaos after this Clinton fiasco. 
We have to remember what took place in Africa and what the policies of 
this administration were. I protested the Clinton proposal for Somalia 
before that tragedy, time and time again, in the well and on the floor 
of this House.
  Let me now turn to Rwanda. President Clinton, as I said in my opening 
statement, is quoted as saying, ``We did not act quickly enough after 
the killing began.'' Pay particular attention to what the President 
said and what is printed in the papers.
  Let me, if I may, as Paul Harvey says, tell you and repeat the rest 
of the story.
  The President said we did not act quickly enough after the killing 
began. But what the President of the United States did not say to the 
world and to Africa is what we should now be remembering.
  I saved the newspaper accounts of what the President said, because I 
was so stunned by the lack of action and actually the blocking of 
action by this administration, and brought them with me to the floor 
tonight. I saved them and had them blown up.
  The Secretary General of the United Nations, Boutros-Ghali, begged 
President Clinton to allow an all-African U.N. force to go into Rwanda. 
Let me read what he said. This is what was in the newspaper.

                              {time}  2145

   When last year's peace agreement collapsed on April 7th and fierce 
fighting broke out between Hutu and Tutsi, the United Nations cut its 
2,700-member force in Rwanda back to a few hundred at the urging of the 
Clinton administration.
  I spoke out then, and I have spoken out afterwards on the floor when 
we saw what was happening with this administration and this policy 
before 1 million Africans were slaughtered.
  Let me, if I may, recall some of the statements that I made on this 
floor. I made one statement on this floor, and I will read it. Let me, 
if I may, trace the history of this tragedy. Let me also, if I may, 
trace the history of our failed policy.
  On April 6th, a plane with the presidents of Rwanda, Burundi was shot 
down. We knew then the potential for violence, terror and mass 
killings.
  On May 11th, the United States criticized a U.N. plan to send 5,500 
multinational soldiers into Rwanda to protect refugees and assist 
relief workers. No U.S. troops would have been involved.
  On May 16th, the U.S. forced the U.N. to delay plans to send 5,500 
troops to end violence in Rwanda, an all-U.N. force.
  So we see that the history of action and inaction by this 
administration, and history should so properly record it.

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