    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [August 11, 1995]
    [Pages 1253-1254]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Vetoing Legislation To Lift the Arms Embargo Against Bosnia
    August 11, 1995

        I am announcing today my decision to veto legislation that would
    unilaterally lift the arms embargo against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
        I know that Members of Congress share my goals of reducing the
    violence in Bosnia and working to end the war. But their vote to
    unilaterally lift the arms embargo is the wrong step at the wrong time.
    The American people should understand the consequences of such action
    for our Nation and for the people of Bosnia.
        First, our allies have made clear that they will withdraw
                their troops from Bosnia if the United States unilaterally
                lifts the arms embargo. The United States, as the leader

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                of the NATO Alliance, would be obliged to send thousands of
                American ground troops to assist in that difficult
                operation.
        Second, lifting the embargo now could cause the fighting in
                Bosnia to escalate. The Serbs will not delay their assaults
                while the Bosnian Government receives new arms and training.
                Getting humanitarian aid to civilians will only get harder.
        Third, unilaterally lifting the embargo will lead to
                unilateral American responsibility. If the Bosnian
                Government suffered reverses on the battlefield, we, and not
                the Europeans, would be expected to fill the void with
                military and humanitarian aid.
        Fourth, intensified fighting in Bosnia would risk provoking
                a wider war in the heart of Europe.
        Fifth, for this bill to become law now would undercut the
                new diplomatic effort we are currently engaged in, and
                withdrawal of the United Nations mission would virtually
                eliminate chances for a peaceful, negotiated settlement in
                the foreseeable future.
        Finally, unilateral lift would create serious divisions
                between the United States and its key allies, with potential
                long-lasting damage to the NATO Alliance.
        This is an important moment in Bosnia. Events in the past few weeks
    have opened new possibilities for negotiations. We will test these new
    realities, and we are now engaged with our allies and others in using
    these opportunities to settle this terrible war by agreement. This is
    not the time for the United States to pull the plug on the U.N. mission.
        There is no question that we must take strong action in Bosnia. In
    recent weeks, the war has intensified. The Serbs have brutally assaulted
    three of the United Nations safe areas. Witnesses report widespread
    atrocities: summary executions, systematic rape, and renewed ethnic
    cleansing in Bosnia. Tens of thousands of innocent women and children
    have fled their homes. And now the Croatian army offensive has created
    new dangers and dramatically increased the need for humanitarian aid to
    deal with displaced citizens in the region. But these events also create
    opportunities.
        Along with our allies we have taken a series of strong steps to
    strengthen the United Nations mission, to prevent further attacks on
    safe areas, and to protect innocent civilians:
        NATO has decided it will counter an assault on the remaining
                safe areas with sustained and decisive use of air power. Our
                response will be broad, swift, and severe, going far beyond
                the narrow attacks of the past.
        For the first time, military commanders on the ground in
                Bosnia have been given operational control over such
                actions, paving the way for fast and effective NATO
                response.
        And well-armed British and French troops are working to
                ensure access to Sarajevo for convoys carrying food,
                medicine, and other vital supplies.
        Despite these actions, many in Congress are ready to close the books
    on the U.N. mission. But I am not--not as long as that mission is
    willing and able to be a force for peace once again.
        I recognize that there is no risk-free way ahead in Bosnia. But
    unilaterally lifting the arms embargo will have the opposite effects of
    what its supporters intend. It would intensify the fighting, jeopardize
    diplomacy, and make the outcome of the war in Bosnia an American
    responsibility.
        Instead, we must work with our allies to protect innocent civilians,
    to strengthen the United Nations mission, to bring NATO's military power
    to bear if our warnings are defied, and to aggressively pursue the only
    path that will end the conflict, one that leads to a negotiated peace.