William Bradley: “I would like to clarify that my vote against the amendment offered by the distinguished majority leader does not imply…”

“I would like to clarify that my vote against the amendment offered by the distinguished majority leader does not imply any lack of support for NATO airstrikes as described in the amendment. I fully support the use of air power, provided it is part of a comprehensive strategy toward ending the fighting in Bosnia. Indeed, I believe the use of airpower has, to date, been too little and too late. I will vote against the majority leader's amendment because I believe it is time to send a clear signal to the administration that the arms embargo against Bosnia must be lifted. The Bosnian Government must be allowed the means to defend itself. In the absence of countervailing force, or the prospect of countervailing force, the Bosnian Serbs have no incentive to end their land grabs and ethnic cleansing. It is clear that the United Nations and NATO will not provide that countervailing force. We owe it to the Bosnian Government to permit it to try. The Senate has voted before in support of lifting the embargo. However, given the nonbinding nature of previous Senate action, the administration has been free to ignore Senate sentiment. The Dole-Lieberman amendment will at least force the administration to come clean. It will set the clock ticking for administration action, either to negotiate a lifting of the arms embargo by the time the bill passes both Houses and reaches the President's desk, or openly to oppose lifting the embargo and, if necessary, veto the legislation.”