Orrin Hatch: “Madam President, the shocking deaths of 66 innocent people in a marketplace in Sarajevo compels us to address once again…”

“Madam President, the shocking deaths of 66 innocent people in a marketplace in Sarajevo compels us to address once again the situation of the former Yugoslavia. I am deeply disappointed by the reaction of the Clinton administration. The President's spokespeople have talked about entering another round of pointless consultations with our allies. None has indicated that this Nation is committed to taking action. The President himself said that he hoped the shocking nature of this atrocity would finally compel the two sides to negotiate a settlement. But the obvious point is that the Serbian side--which perpetrated this atrocity--is interested not in peace but in conquest. I have repeatedly spoken and written on this issue during the last 3 years. In speaking today, I have a tragic sense of deja vu. After similar atrocities in the past, the Bush and Clinton administrations have always said that we have no moral duty to respond. They said that U.S. interests were not involved, that intervention would lead to a quagmire, and that our allies had troops on the ground who would be imperiled. I believe both administrations suffered from moral and strategic myopia. We can help protect innocent people without putting U.S. troops on the ground. We must do it now.”