Lee Metcalf: “I opposed sending the troops to Bosnia. There was no critical U.S. interest involved, or, if there was, it escaped the…”

“I opposed sending the troops to Bosnia. There was no critical U.S. interest involved, or, if there was, it escaped the notice of the President. He was never able to state it clearly. I said over a year ago, it is easy to send troops in but very difficult to accomplish stability and exit in a safe, honorable, and timely way. The President promised the troops out by December 1996. Now he says June 30, 1998. Why should this Congress not set a date certain and hold him to it? I support bringing the troops home December 1997, that is the Hilleary amendment. If that fails, then I think we should set an absolute deadline of June 1998. Congress must not continue to acquiesce to the President and allow him to leave our troops in Bosnia indefinitely. Both amendments give the President and our allies ample flexibility and notice that U.S. troops will be withdrawn. I urge every one of my colleagues to support the Hilleary amendment, of which I am a cosponsor; and if that is unsuccessful, support the Buyer amendment. There are many good reasons, but the cost alone, $7 billion already, demands that Congress do its duty, support the troops by bringing them home by a date certain.”