[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 19, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H3300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE QUESTION ARISES, WHAT WAS THIS PRESIDENT OPPOSED TO IN VIETNAM?

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I want to read a quote made recently by 
retired three star General Tom Griffin, attempting to understand our 
involvement in Yugoslavia. I quote: ``Now let's see here if I 
understand all this correctly. President Clinton has ordered our forces 
to engage an entrenched, politically motivated enemy backed by the 
Russians, on their home ground, in a foreign civil war, in difficult 
terrain, with limited military objectives, bombing restrictions, 
boundary and operational restrictions, queasy allies, far across the 
ocean, with uncertain goals, without prior consultation with Congress, 
the potential for escalation, while limiting the forces at his 
disposal, and the majority of Americans opposed to or at least 
uncertain about the value of the action being worth American lives,'' 
end quote.
  When we review history, the question arises, what was this President 
opposed to in Vietnam? Are we going to learn from the history of the 
1960s?

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