Pete Domenici: “If there is a crisis in Bosnia that involves American national interests, and I believe that such a case could be made…”

“If there is a crisis in Bosnia that involves American national interests, and I believe that such a case could be made, it requires additional explanation by the President and rapid deliberation by the Congress. This is too serious an issue to be handled through private consultations. The American people need to know what we are doing, and our justifications for our actions or inactions. If a Bosnia peace settlement is negotiated, it will be contingent on the subsequent deployment of tens of thousands of U.S. ground combat forces. Long before then, the President needs to know whether Congress concurs in his offer of ground combat forces to the United Nations. Congress needs to determine now the human and fiscal costs of an extended deployment of 25,000 American troops in Bosnia. At this morning's hearing, I suggested that it would have a major impact on force structure and cost many billions of dollars.”