[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19744]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                 LOSING THE BATTLE FOR PEACE IN KOSOVO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RON PACKARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 4, 1999

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, when the House of Representatives 
considered legislation to approve the use of American forces as part of 
the NATO coalition against Yugoslavia, many Members of Congress, 
including myself, cautioned that military strikes would do little to 
end this centuries-old conflict, and instead might only aggravate 
tensions.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been several weeks since Slobodan Milosevic 
agreed to withdraw his forces from Kosovo and daily NATO bombings of 
Yugoslavia ceased. While some were quick to proclaim victory and openly 
declare that this President's ``legacy'' had finally been secured, it 
is now becoming plainly apparent that the bloodshed never really ended.
  Milosevic's Serbian forces committed reprehensible human acts not 
seen in Europe since Hitler's Germany. Actively working to thwart his 
maniacal and murderous scheme was a noble defense of all humanity. I am 
proud of our men and women in uniform who acted with courage and 
patriotism while serving the interests of peace in trying to stop the 
rapes, killings and ethnic cleansing. Peacekeeping should be an 
``ethnically blind'' operation.
  Despite the best of intentions, the cycle of violence in this region 
of the world continues. Kosovo is still a warzone, and the prospect for 
peace is no better today than it was when NATO airstrikes began. I 
remain convinced that this Administration's policies have failed

[[Page E1743]]

all the people of this region. I firmly believe that more attentive and 
more skillful diplomacy months and years earlier may have prevented 
this entire war.
  Mr. Speaker, the world needs strong American leadership abroad, and 
Congress should not hesitate to demand a more coherent strategy from 
this President to ensure a lasting peace in this war-torn region. 
Stopping one campaign of hatred and violence only to permit others to 
kill and maim is hardly a legacy to be proud of.

                          ____________________