James Traficant: “A 1986 intelligence report warned us of today's debate. They said the genocide in Kosovo will end by one of two means…”

“A 1986 intelligence report warned us of today's debate. They said the genocide in Kosovo will end by one of two means, by Western governments assisting and pressuring Belgrade to grant independence to Kosovo, or be revolutionized. This is a tough vote. I, like everybody else, want to stop the slaughter in Yugoslavia and in Kosovo. But let me say this, today's vote will also reward an international tyrant Milosevic, because we will be rewarding a flawed agreement. This agreement should be modified to say, number one, upon enactment of the agreement, there should be no Serbian troops in Kosovo; number two, a provision clearly warning Milosevic he will be bombed if he violates the terms of the agreement; number three, that all war criminals will be apprehended and will be subject to prosecution, bar none; and, number four, that, on conclusion of the terms of Rambouillet, there shall be a referendum vote for independence. God, we are here in the halls of Washington and Lincoln. In 1986, they told us, there would be more genocide, more killing, more oppression, and we have done nothing, and we are about to make the same mistake. This is a tough vote for me. But our committee must look at those facts, Mr. Chairman. My bill clearly speaks to it. There should be an amendment on this floor to modify that agreement, at least the sense of this House to, in fact, infer that that subject mattered. Be careful here. It just is not about deploying troops.”