Jim Inhofe: “I can remember in November of 1995 when the Senator from Texas was the primary author of the resolution of disapproval…”

“I can remember in November of 1995 when the Senator from Texas was the primary author of the resolution of disapproval of sending troops into Bosnia. I was on the resolution with her. We only lost by three votes. In other words, if three Senators had voted the other way, we very likely would not have had to send troops into Bosnia to begin with. In anticipation of this, I went to Bosnia, up to the northeast sector, only to find there was never any belief that we could get into this thing and be out in 12 months. The reason the President was able to get the three votes necessary to defeat the resolution of disapproval was the guarantee that our troops that were going to be sent over there in November of 1995 would be home for Christmas in 1996. That was not an expectation; that was a guarantee. I can remember so well talking to General Haukland up in the northeast sector when he laughed and said, 'You mean 12 years.' As the years and months are going by now, it looks like there is more and more truth to that. Let me just mention my concern is a little different than the concerns that are expressed by most people. Mine is one as to how this involvement in Bosnia is adversely affecting our ability to defend America.”