Bob Dole: “2 days ago I introduced legislation together with the distinguished Senator from Connecticut, Senator Lieberman, to…”

“2 days ago I introduced legislation together with the distinguished Senator from Connecticut, Senator Lieberman, to terminate the United States arms embargo on Bosnia-Herzegovina as of May 1, 1995. As I mentioned in my remarks at the that time, I believed that this legislation was not only consistent with international law in upholding Bosnia's inherent right to self-defense, but that it would also serve to provide some badly needed leverage for the Bosnians on the diplomatic side. I understand that today, Adm. Leighton Smith, commander of NATO Forces in Southern Europe told reporters that he opposed this legislation. I am not surprised that a four-star admiral would not oppose his Commander in Chief, nor that a NATO commander would not choose to contradict the NATO-Secretary General. I would note, however, that in addition to candidate Bill Clinton, the following former high-level Government officials, including Cabinet members, have publicly supported lifting the arms embargo on Bosnia: Zbigniew Brzezinski; Frank Carlucci; George Shultz; Jeane Kirkpatrick; Paul Wolfowitz; Richard Perle; and Max Kampelman--quite an impressive list. Moreover, I would emphasize that the late Manfred Woerner, the previous Secretary General, advocated helping the victims of aggression, especially when the international community does not have the resolve to take action on behalf of that victim. That is surely the case in Bosnia.”