Chris Smith: “Mr. Speaker, the votes today are extraordinarily difficult ones for each of us. The difficulty arises not because we are…”

“Mr. Speaker, the votes today are extraordinarily difficult ones for each of us. The difficulty arises not because we are afraid to face up to these decisions, but because we must find a way to support freedom and democracy for the people of Kosovo and for the people of Serbia without writing a blank check for more fatal blunders on the part of the Clinton administration. I do not agree with our bombing campaign, but the present 'bombing only' policy appears to have been based on the tragic miscalculation by President Clinton that Milosevic would back down if we bombed Serbia for a week or maybe two. This seems to have been based on an even more fundamental miscalculation, that Milosevic cares more about Serbia than he does for Milosevic. Former Governor George Allen of Virginia pointed out recently, and it was a very good and apt analogy when he said it was the equivalent of being in a football game and you say you are going to pass on every play. You have really given away your options. We did the same thing when we told Milosevic there would be no ground troops. That permitted him to anticipate and adjust to NATO moves. Another miscalculation. Whatever happened to 'loose lips sink ships'? U.S. and NATO spokesmen--including the President, babble on and on. Such carelessness puts the lives of our servicemen at risk and its wrong.”