[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
[March 25, 1999]
[Pages 453-454]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Airstrikes Against Serbian Targets and an Exchange With 
Reporters
March 25, 1999

    The President. I'm about to receive a briefing from the national 
security team, as you can see. I'm very grateful that our crews returned 
home safely after their work last night. And I'm very grateful that the 
United States Congress has expressed its support for them.
    I want to say again that our purpose here is to prevent a 
humanitarian catastrophe or a wider war. Our objective is to make it 
clear that Serbia must either choose peace or we will limit its ability 
to make war. And we're going to get a briefing and lay further plans 
today.
    Q. Mr. President, yesterday you listed in the briefing room three 
objectives of the airstrikes, but among them was not a demand that 
Milosevic return to the negotiating table if he signed a peace 
agreement. Yet, others in the administration are saying this morning 
that is a precondition for ending the strike. What are the facts?
    The President. Well, he has to choose 
peace, or we have to try to limit his ability to make war. That's what 
we're trying to do. And I think that's been very clear. If you look at 
what happened at the Rambouillet talks, the arrangement was basically 
supported by all of Europe, the United States, the Kosovars. The 
Russians agreed that it was a fair agreement. They did not agree to the 
military involvement of NATO, but they agreed that it was a fair 
agreement. Only Mr. Milosevic and the Serbs declined to deal with the 
evident responsibility they have to choose the path of peace instead of 
the path of aggression and war.

[[Page 454]]

    So I think that it is clear--I don't know how to make it any 
clearer--that we either have to have a choice for peace by Serbia, not 
just stopping the killing for an hour or two but a choice for peace, or 
we will do our best to limit their ability to make war on those people.
    Q. What is the exit strategy?
    The President. The exit strategy is what it always is in a military 
operation. It's when the mission is completed.
    Q. Do you believe the Kosovars can be safe without the intervention 
of ground troops from NATO? Can your goals be achieved just through 
airstrikes?
    The President. I do. I believe we can create a situation in which we 
have limited their ability to make war and thereby increase the 
prospects that they can protect themselves better. I do believe that.
    Q. What about Russians threatening to arm Belgrade?
    The President. Well, you know, they have quite a lot of arms on 
their own; they made a lot of arms in the former Yugoslavia. I told the 
American people they had a very impressive air defense system, and they 
had lots of other arms and weapons. I have no intention of supporting 
any lifting of the arms embargo on Serbia. I think that would be a 
terrible mistake. We would be far better off if they didn't have as many 
arms as they do; then they would be out there making peace and 
accommodating these ethnic differences and figuring out ways they can 
live together.
    Q. Are you concerned that the American people aren't more strongly 
behind you on this?
    The President. No. I believe that many Americans really had not 
thought a lot about this until the last 2 days. I hope that a lot of 
them heard my presentation last night. I did my very best to explain 
what we were doing and why, and I believe that a majority of them will 
support what we're trying to do here. I also believe very strongly that 
it is my responsibility to make this judgment based on what I think is 
in the long-term interests of the American people.
    Q. [Inaudible]--achieve peace or you will limit his ability to make 
war, but need he come back to the conference table?
    The President. I think he knows what 
needs to be done.

Note: The President spoke at 12:10 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House, prior to a meeting with the national security team. In his 
remarks, he referred to President Slobodan Milosevic of the Federal 
Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). A tape was not available 
for verification of the content of these remarks.