Political Quotes

“I rise today in opposition to the McCloskey amendment. Like all of my colleagues, I have been horrified to watch the violence and turmoil that have marked the brutal civil war in Bosnia, and I have been deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life that has occurred there. I strongly believe the United States must do all it can to end this terrible war and bring peace to this troubled region. However, I do not believe that by lifting the arms embargo unilaterally, the United States will be promoting a peaceful resolution of this terrible conflict. The peace talks in Bosnia are currently at a fragile stage. By lifting the embargo unilaterally, the United States may undermine any possibility of achieving a diplomatic solution to the conflict. Moreover, by introducing new arms into the region the United States would effectively widen and intensify the war, increasing the killing and destruction in this already devastated area. Attempting to level the killing fields is not the key to peace in Bosnia. We must decide as a nation whether we want to work with the international community or against it. The United States agreed to impose an arms embargo on this region as a member of the United Nations. We did not decide to impose the embargo unilaterally, and we did not impose it against our will. If we pass the McCloskey amendment, we will be telling the world that we will participate in multilateral sanctions only when it is convenient for us.”