Bob Dole: “Having issued the ultimatum--'' the New York Times said: --NATO should not step back. But it is up to the Clinton…”

“Having issued the ultimatum--'' the New York Times said: --NATO should not step back. But it is up to the Clinton Administration to make clear that this is a humanitarian action that does not commit the United States to deeper involvement in European diplomatic maneuvers or ground peacekeeping operations. That will limit some of the risks now undertaken. I just quote from the Washington Post: At least we hope this is what the American government is doing. At this point in the dying of Bosnia, more talk policy is an obscenity. If the government isn't conducting a serious policy, it should just shut up. They talk about talk policy. We have had talk policy for over 22 months, while over 200,000 innocent people have been slaughtered in Bosnia. I just suggest this: We should not be leaning on Bosnia, trying to force them into a bad peace settlement that is part of the plan suggested by President Clinton. However, I think that NATO's threat has to be followed through. I will support the President on whatever he does. There is one thing he should do right now--and not wait 10 days--that is, lift the U.S. arms embargo. Why wait the 10 days? We can do that on our own. NATO's decision is welcome even though in reality it amounts to a small step for Bosnia and a small step toward regaining NATO's credibility. NATO does not have a lot of credibility, and this may be an opportunity to regain a little of it if it carries out its decision. We need to make certain NATO follows through.”