Cord Byrd: “I say to him that this matter is about power. It is about the arrogance of power and a White House that insists on…”

“I say to him that this matter is about power. It is about the arrogance of power and a White House that insists on putting our men and women in harm's way and spending their tax dollars without the consent of their elected representatives. Where is the wisdom in that course? Where is the wisdom in allowing a policy of indefinite drift in the Balkans with no end strategy and no clearly defined goal? We have heard a great deal of impassioned, occasionally inflammatory, debate over Kosovo in recent hours, the first such debate we have had since U.S. ground troops entered Kosovo 11 months ago as part of a NATO peacekeeping operation. I welcome this debate. It's about time. And I am glad that so many Senators are engaged in this debate. But before we bring this discussion to a head, I think that we need to address some of the more outrageous claims that have been made about the Byrd-Warner provision. To hear some speak, this amendment will mean the end of civilization as we know it. Hardly. Hardly.”