George Voinovich: “we are approaching the one year anniversary of the end of the NATO air campaign in Kosovo. But just like a year ago, we…”

“we are approaching the one year anniversary of the end of the NATO air campaign in Kosovo. But just like a year ago, we find ourselves debating U.S. military involvement in Kosovo and what the U.S. mission in southeastern Europe should be. With respect to southeastern Europe, I believe the Byrd-Warner language that has been included in this Military Construction Appropriations bill is the wrong approach at the wrong time. In addition to our direct national security interests in Europe that would be threatened by this provision, our efforts to encourage the establishment of the rule of law, universal respect for minority rights and market economies throughout southeastern Europe would be devastated by the Byrd-Warner language. In the aftermath of the air war over Kosovo, we have an opportunity to work with the international community to integrate the nations of the region into the broader European community; an action I believe will help avoid the continuation of the bloodshed and destruction we've seen over the last decade. To effectively threaten a troop pull-out-- which the Byrd-Warner language does--jeopardizes our efforts to take advantage of the worldwide interest in the region, and our ability to make an historic positive change for the future in southeastern Europe. Mr. President, we have American military resources on the ground and in the skies in southeastern Europe with the specific intent of bringing peace and stability to the region.”