Benjamin Gilman: “as my colleagues know, this year is the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. The President himself went to San…”

“as my colleagues know, this year is the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. The President himself went to San Francisco for the celebrations marking the signing of the charter. Article 51 of that charter gives every member nation the right of self-defense against armed attack. S. 21, the Bosnia-Herzegovina Self-Defense Act of 1995--is designed to enable the sovereign State of Bosnia--a member in good standing of the United Nations--to defend itself against armed attack from its immediate neighbor. It establishes a procedure that resolves the concerns of many who have argued that unilateral lifting of the arms embargo would have disastrous results. Opponents contend that U.S. termination would Americanize the conflict--first because the U.N. Protection Force--UNPROFOR--would pull out, requiring the President to make good his commitment to provide up to 25,000 American troops to assist in their withdrawal. Second, it is argued that because the Bosnian Government would seek the heavy weapons they need from the United States, Americans would have to provide the necessary training. Opponents also have said that long before Bosnia could obtain the weapons and training it needs, the Serbs would launch an all-out attack. The result would be even greater destruction than we have seen so far--with more ethnic cleansing, more rapes, murders, and other atrocities against unarmed civilians.”