Chuck Grassley: “based on recent remarks by the President, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. If the story as reported is true, it is…”

“based on recent remarks by the President, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. If the story as reported is true, it is an unfortunate commentary. In a recent meeting with religious leaders, Mr. Clinton asked them to withdraw their support for a legislative effort to hold countries to account that engage in religious persecution. Mr. Clinton, it seems, does not like legislation that imposes sanctions. Well, that's not precisely right. What he does not like is sanctions that he didn't think of. When he wants sanctions on Iraq, for example, he is all for sanctions. But when it comes to other issues he cares less about, well, suddenly he finds them unwelcome. What are some of these? Well, he doesn't like mandatory sanctions for violations of human rights. He objects to sanctions to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. He is not partial to sanctions on countries that persecute people for their religious beliefs. And he finds the idea of sanctions on countries that do not do enough to stop the traffic of illegal drugs to the United States burdensome. In a flight of candor with the religious leaders, he allows as how it is difficult to be honest in assessing another country's behavior if sanctions might be involved. "What always happens," he says, "if you have automatic sanctions legislation is it puts pressure on whoever is in the executive branch to fudge an evaluation of the facts of what is going on." That is refreshingly frank. It is also disturbing.”