[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 54 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               WHERE THE AMERICANS COME, THEY MAKE ORDER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 3, 2003

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member wishes to commend to his 
colleagues the March 31, 2003, editorial from the Norfolk Daily News 
entitled ``Unharmed.''
  The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) remains critical to 
Slovenia and other countries who until recently suffered under the yoke 
of tyranny. Such countries have made difficult, immediate sacrifices to 
gain the long-term protection which NATO membership provides and should 
be recognized for their efforts.

                                Unharmed


        slovenia's vote indicates nato not harmed by war on iraq

       Critics of Bush administration policy have feared, that the 
     war in Iraq and U.S. ``unilateralism'' might damage critical 
     alliances like NATO.
       From tiny Slovenia--population 1.9 million--comes 
     heartening evidence that this may not be so. Slovenia is the 
     most successful of the Balkan nations to come out of the 
     breakup of Yugoslavia, and from the beginning, its leaders 
     decided the future lay with the West.
       In recent referendums, Slovenes voted to join both NATO and 
     the European Union. The E.U. vote was never in doubt, but 
     Slovenia's leaders, who fully understand that NATO membership 
     has real obligations, feared the effect of the war on that 
     vote. In the end, two-thirds of the voters approved:
       An economist, Milan Cadez, gave the New York Times a 
     reassuring reason why as he left a polling place: ``Only 
     America is capable of doing anything for peace. The E.U. is 
     not capable of doing anything. They watched the crimes in 
     Bosnia and when the Americans come, they make order.'' And, 
     it should be noted, are still there to help maintain order.
       The Slovenes might have their doubts about the war in Iraq, 
     but they have few reservations about the benefits of the 
     U.S.-led military alliance.

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