Mike Levin: “The question of Congressional prerogatives is an internal matter for the U.S. Congress and the administration to…”

“The question of Congressional prerogatives is an internal matter for the U.S. Congress and the administration to resolve. I'm in no position to comment. Where I do have a concern, however, is that in the way the legislation is written, it would not just affirm the Congressional privilege, but point toward a single policy outcome--the withdrawal of U.S. forces. As Secretary General, the prospect of any NATO ally deciding unilaterally not to take part in a NATO operation causes me deep concern. It risks sending a dangerous signal to the Yugoslavian dictator, Milosevic--that NATO is divided, and that its biggest and most important ally is pulling up stakes. That is how our NATO allies feel about this language. Some have argued that Congress has never authorized or even formally debated U.S. involvement in Kosovo since the Senate on March 23, 1999, authorized airstrikes against Yugoslavia.”