[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF 
                               YUGOSLAVIA

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. DAVE WELDON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 1999

  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H. Con. 
Res. 82 calling for the removal of U.S. troops from their positions in 
connection with the present operation against the Federal Republic of 
Yugoslavia.
  This has been a very troubled region for centuries. In recent years, 
the U.S. Department of State has reported that the civil war in Kosovo 
between the Serbian government and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) has 
heightened. In recent weeks, while the NATO attacks on the Serbian 
police and troops in Serbia's Kosovo province have increased, the Serb 
forces have heightened their efforts to remove ethnic Albanians from 
Kosovo. Ironically, the President argued that airstrikes were needed in 
order to keep this very action from taking place. Unfortunately, the 
airstrikes only heightened these atrocities.
  Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. It now seems apparent that 
President Clinton's decision to begin a bombing campaign was not the 
right decision and that is why I opposed the resolution supporting U.S. 
military action before the NATO bombing attacks began. Indeed, the 
Washington Post has reported that many military leaders doubted Mr. 
Clinton's bombing strategy would end the civil war in Kosovo. 
Unfortunately, they have been proved right.
  As a Member of Congress I have the responsibility to ask the 
following questions, ``Is the situation in Kosovo in our national 
interest?'' If it is in our national interest I must ask myself, ``Am I 
willing to say to my constituents and my neighbors that I believe the 
lives of their sons and daughters in the military should be placed in 
jeopardy by sending them into battle in Kosovo?'' I say NO to both. We 
do not have a national interest in Kosovo and we should not risk the 
lives of our men and women in uniform.