[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 16047]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                U.S. SHOULD NOT BECOME WORLD'S POLICEMAN

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Madam Speaker, as a former Air Force pilot and veteran, 
I have a special sensitivity and permanent appreciation for the needs 
and concerns of our Nation's military.
  It seems obvious to me and to the men and women who serve in our 
military forces that I have spoken with that the Clinton-Gore 
administration has put our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines in 
danger by continually asking the military to do more and more with less 
and less.
  Over the past 8 years, President Clinton has requested drastic cuts 
in military spending and yet continues to send our troops all over the 
world.
  As Commander in Chief, President Clinton has deployed U.S. forces 34 
times, while cutting troop strength by 40 percent.
  During the previous 40 years throughout the Cold War and prior to the 
Clinton administration, our military forces were only deployed 10 
times.
  Madam Speaker, our military should not become the world's policeman.
  I am proud that this Republican Congress realizes the importance of 
maintaining a strong national defense and that our military serves the 
United States first and the rest of the world second.

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