Political Quotes

“It is about time. As the siege of Sarajevo approaches the end of its second year, the West has finally agreed to respond to the Bosnian tragedy. NATO will use air strikes if the Serbs do not pull their heavy guns 12 miles from the city within 10 days or engage in further attacks before that deadline arrives. It is shameful that the United States and Europe have acquiesced in the land grabs and ethnic cleansing of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic. Even more shameful is the fact that the deaths of more than 60 people in a Sarajevo market place were required before the West would use its muscle to halt the slaughter. Although sanctions were imposed in May of 1992 against Serbia and a no-fly-zone was extended over Bosnia, our actions thus far have been ineffective. If we continue to deny Bosnia the right to defend itself, let us at least stand up to those who kill innocent civilians. No American will ever forget the image shown on television last week of snow stained with blood, where only minutes before children were sleigh riding. While these pictures stick in our consciousness and drive us toward action, the real tragedy is that this type of carnage happens every day. Now is the time to act. I call on my colleagues to join in support of the use of NATO air power to lift the siege of Sarajevo. The bloodshed must end.”