Political Quotes

“I am pleased to be joined by the distinguished Senator from Connecticut, Senator Lieberman, and 31 additional Republican and Democrat cosponsors. We began the debate on this issue 2 weeks ago--on the eve of NATO's meeting on the catastrophe in Gorazde. At that time, there were several Senators who suggested that the Senate wait to vote on this legislation which would unilaterally lift the United States arms embargo on Bosnia until after NATO's political council met. Well, NATO made its decision to issue an ultimatum to the Bosnian Serbs and to authorize air strikes to protect Gorazde and the other safe havens. However, since that time, there have been no air strikes because the U.N. Special Representative, Yasushi Akashi, has refused to authorize them. Meanwhile, Serb violations of the NATO ultimatums are increasing daily, and Bosnian Serb forces are redeploying their tanks unbelievably with UNPROFOR assistance. On the diplomatic front, the United States has also joined with the British, French, Germans, and Russians to form a contact group to press for a ceasefire, and to press for a settlement which would leave the Bosnians with 51 percent of their country. In my view, this is hardly progress. We are no closer to a just and workable agreement than we were a year ago. With the exception of the recent Bosnian-Croat federation agreement, the international community is only recycling failed policies--changing a detail here and there.”