Lee Metcalf: “last December I came to this floor to oppose the deployment of troops to Bosnia because I felt that the mission had no…”

“last December I came to this floor to oppose the deployment of troops to Bosnia because I felt that the mission had no chance of solving their problems. Stability in that troubled area will not be achieved easily, and only achieved with the solid support of those people in the former Yugoslavia and the neighboring nations in Europe. In my speech last December, I stated, ``We have learned through sad experience that it is easy to rush troops into an area of contention, but it is extremely difficult to solve the problems once we get there, and even more difficult to get out in a timely and honorable way.'' I still stand by that statement. It is absolutely true. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately this has become indeed the reality in Bosnia. Unfortunately, the President failed, before sending our troops there, to outline our goals specifically that our military had to achieve before they could safely leave. We went in there with an ill-defined mission. A well-defined exit strategy based on the achievement of a set of tactical goals has been lacking from the start. Now the President, after breaking his promise to have them out by the end of the year, has extended the deployment at least 18 months from the promised 1-year deadline.”