Connie Mack: “I rise to support the initiative that is before us this afternoon, and I want to commend both the Chair and Senator Dole…”

“I rise to support the initiative that is before us this afternoon, and I want to commend both the Chair and Senator Dole for bringing this to the floor of the U.S. Senate. I suspect that there are a lot of people who have been wondering why it has taken us so long. I guess my initial reaction to that thought is that we, frankly, wanted the President to lead. The American people want to support President Clinton. The American people want to support his foreign policy. But, frankly, they have become dismayed, and the international community looks at us with disbelief. From a personal perspective, it is hard for me to believe that in a very short period of time, we have destroyed the vision of what America is all about to people around the world who have looked to us so long in support of freedom, who have looked to America as the leaders who are prepared, a society, a nation that is prepared to defend freedom anywhere on the globe. But in a relatively short period of time now, there is serious question about America's resolve: Who are we? What do we believe? What are we committed to? There have been many articles written over the last several weeks with respect to Bosnia and questioning the President's leadership.”