Byron Dorgan: “I suspect most administrations oppose this kind of proposal because it does not allow them complete and unrestrained…”

“I suspect most administrations oppose this kind of proposal because it does not allow them complete and unrestrained freedom to do whatever they want wherever they want in the world. However, this proposal has an enormous amount of common sense. We are not proposing something that would restrict critically needed arms transfers to our allies in the Middle East, for example. We specifically have a provision in this amendment that resolves that issue. That cannot be argued. I say this: With respect to arms transfers that have occurred in other parts of the world over all of these years, this country ought to start to rethink these issues. We sold Iraq cluster bombs for its war against Iran, and only because of our superior air power did American troops not face those same American-made cluster bombs in the Middle East. We sold Somalia 4,800 M-16 rifles, 8,400 6-millimeter recoilless rifles; 24 machine guns, 75 81-millimeter mortars, landmines. Guess what happened? Mr. Aideed would use them to kill 23 American soldiers. This has really gone on long enough.…”