Lincoln Chafee: “I will support the motion to table, not because I am opposed to properly carrying out this military campaign but because…”

“I will support the motion to table, not because I am opposed to properly carrying out this military campaign but because I believe that setting this resolution aside today will give NATO a better chance to achieve our military objectives in Kosovo. Since the early days of this military campaign, I have argued that the President ought not have ruled out the use of ground troops as a military option in NATO's campaign against Yugoslav forces in Kosovo. Sending this signal gives President Milosevic some comfort, knowing that his army and Serb para-military forces would not have to confront a NATO ground campaign. That gives Milosevic a freer hand in carrying out his brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against ethnic Albanians. Today, the Senate must decide whether to give the President authority to use 'all necessary force and other means' to accomplish U.S. and NATO objectives in Yugoslavia. Passage would certainly permit the Administration to send U.S. ground forces into Yugoslavia. I commend the efforts of Senator McCain and the other sponsors of this resolution, who I know have only our national interests in mind in bringing this measure forward today. My instinct is to support this resolution. However, I must oppose considering it at this time for two reasons. First, it should be clear to anyone following this debate that a majority of Senators needed to pass this resolution simply does not exist today.”