Bill Barrett: “I have maintained that United States Forces should not be committed to Bosnia, unless there is a mission with clear…”

“I have maintained that United States Forces should not be committed to Bosnia, unless there is a mission with clear goals and objectives. Over the past few weeks, United States military involvement has escalated, to the point that United States planes and bombs are making their mark on the troubled Bosnia/Serb political landscape. Congress must debate our future military role in this region, because the Constitution mandates that Congress raise and provide for our national defense. Yet, should our Nation's military personnel and assets, provided by the sweat and toil of our citizens, become a bargaining chip to reconcile ethnic and religious hatreds that have plagued this region for centuries? For too long, Congress justified not debating this question because of the President's role as our foreign policy leader. But, supporting our President should not mean blind or deaf justification. I call on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to bring to the floor a resolution, and for the leadership in this body to allow for open debate, on the future involvement of our military in Bosnia.”