[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25356]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   RECENT VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETE SESSIONS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 2000

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of 
Congress a recent letter from United States military leaders regarding 
the recent violence in the Middle East. The letter follows:

       We, the undersigned, believe that during the current 
     upheavals in Israel, the Israel Defense Forces have exercised 
     remarkable restraint in the face of lethal violence 
     orchestrated by the leadership of a Palestinian Authority 
     that deliberately pushes civilians and young people to the 
     front lines.
       We are appalled by the Palestinian political and military 
     leadership that teaches children the mechanics of war while 
     filling their heads with hate. We are appalled by Palestinian 
     ``military commanders'' who place armed adults amid civilian 
     rioters, including children, and then callously use the 
     inevitable casualties as grist for their propaganda mill. The 
     behavior of those Palestinians, who use civilians as soldiers 
     in a war, is a perversion of military ethics.
       What makes the US-Israel security relationship one of 
     mutual benefit is the combination of military capabilities 
     and shared political values--freedom, democracy, personal 
     liberty and the rule of law. Yitzhak Rabin said at the 
     beginning of this peace effort with the Palestinians that one 
     can only make peace with one's enemies. But the enemy must 
     have decided to put down his weapons--rocks as well as 
     rifles--and make peace in good faith. The Palestinian-
     initiated violence in Israel now strongly tells us that the 
     necessary good faith is sorely lacking on the Palestinian 
     side.
       America's responsibility as a friend to Israel, the only 
     country in the Middle East that shares our democratic and 
     humanitarian values, should never yield to America's role as 
     facilitator in this process. Friends don't leave friends on 
     the battlefield.
       Lt. Gen. Marcus Anderson, USAF (ret.), Inspector General, 
     US Air Force.
       Lt. Gen. Robert Baer, USA (ret.), Deputy Commander, Army 
     Materiel Command.
       Maj. Gen. Max Baratz, USAR (ret.), Commander, US Army 
     Reserve.
       Lt. Gen. Jared Bates, USA (ret.), Inspector General, US 
     Army.
       R. Adm. Charles Beers, USN (ret.), Commander, Submarine 
     Group Ten.
       Lt. Gen. Arthur C. Blades, USMC (ret.), Deputy for Plans, 
     Policies, and Ops.
       Lt. Gen. Anthony Burshnick, USAF (ret.), Commander, 
     Military Airlift Command.
       Adm. James Busey, USN (ret.), CINC, US Navy Europe.
       Lt. Gen. Paul Cerjan, USA (ret.), Deputy Allied Commander, 
     Europe.
       Adm. Hank Chiles, USN (ret.), Commander in Chief, US 
     Strategic Command.
       Gen. J.B. Davis, USAF (ret.), CoS, Supreme HQ Allied Powers 
     Europe.
       Adm. Bruce DeMars, USN (ret.), Director, Naval Nuclear 
     Propulsion.
       Maj. Gen. Lee Downer, USAF (ret.), Director of Operations, 
     Air Combat Command.
       Adm. Leon Edney, USN (ret.), Commander, US Atlantic Fleet.
       Gen. John Foss, USA (ret.), Commanding General, Training 
     and Doctrine Command.
       Maj. Gen. Donald Gardner, USMC (ret.), Commander, III 
     Marine Expeditionary Force.
       Maj. Gen. William Garrison, USA (ret.), Commander, Joint 
     Special Operations Command.
       Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, USA (ret.), Assistant Vice Chief of 
     Staff.
       Maj. Gen. David Grange, USA (ret.), Dir., Army Operations, 
     Readiness & Mobilization.
       Lt. Gen. Tom Griffin, USA (ret.), Chief of Staff, Allied 
     Forces Southern Europe.
       Gen. Alfred Hansen, USAF (ret.), Commander, USAF Logistics 
     Command.
       Adm. Jerome Johnson, USN (ret.), Vice Chief of Naval 
     Operations.
       V. Adm. Dennis Jones, USN (ret.), Deputy CINC, US Strategic 
     Command.
       V. Adm. Bernard Kauderer, USN (ret.), Commander, Submarine 
     Forces, Atlantic Fleet.
       R. Adm. Herbert C. Kaler, USN (ret.), Dir., Joint Theater 
     Air and Missile Defense Org.
       V. Adm. Anthony Less, USN (ret.), Commander, Naval Air 
     Forces, US Atlantic Fleet.
       Maj. Gen. Jarvis Lynch, USMC (ret.), Commander, Eastern 
     Marine Recruiting Depot.
       Lt. Gen. Charles May, USAF (ret.), Assistance Vice Chief of 
     Staff, USAF.
       Maj. Gen. James McCombs, USAF (ret.), Deputy CINC, US 
     Special Operations Command.
       R. Adm. William F. Merlin, USCG (ret.), Commander, Eighth 
     Coast Guard District.
       Maj. Gen. William C. Moore, USA (ret.), Director, 
     Operations, Readiness & Mobilization.
       Maj. Gen. Robert Patterson, USAF (ret.), Commanding 
     General, 23rd Air Force.
       V. Adm. James Perkins, USN (ret.), Deputy CINC, US Southern 
     Command.
       Lt. Gen. Everett Pratt, USAF (ret.), Vice Commander, US Air 
     Forces Europe.
       Maj. Gen. Milnor Roberts, USA (ret.), Deputy Chief, US Army 
     Reserve.
       R. Adm. Norman Saunders, USCG (ret.), Commander, Seventh 
     Coast Guard District.
       Maj. Gen. Sidney Shachnow, USA (ret.), Commander, JFK 
     Special Warfare School.
       R. Adm. Sumner Shapiro, USN (ret.), Director, Naval 
     Intelligence.
       Adm. Leighton Smith, USN (ret.), Commander, US Forces, 
     Southern Europe.
       Maj. Gen. Larry Taylor, USMCR (ret.), Commander, 4th Marine 
     Aircraft Wing.
       Adm. Carlisle A.H. Trost, USN (ret.), Chief of Naval 
     Operations.
       V. Adm. Jerry Tuttle, USN (ret.), Director, Space and 
     Electronic Warfare.
       Brig. Gen. Thomas E. White, USA (ret.), Exec. to the 
     Chairman of the JCS.
       R. Adm. Guy Zeller, USN (ret.), Dir., Surface Warfare, 
     OPNAV.

     

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