Russ Feingold: “I will vote in favor of the Craig amendment that would require specific congressional authorization for the deployment…”

“I will vote in favor of the Craig amendment that would require specific congressional authorization for the deployment of troops to Bosnia. However, I would like to make clear that I am supporting this amendment for reasons that I think differ slightly from the intentions of its author, the distinguished Senator from Idaho. As my colleagues in this Chamber know well, I have always had serious questions about U.S. involvement in this mission. I was the only Democrat to vote against the deployment of U.S. troops back in 1995, in large part because I did not believe the United States would be able to complete the mission in the time projected and for the price tag that was originally estimated. Now--more than two years later--I think I have been proven right, and I take no pleasure in it. But, regardless of my objections to the mission, I have always felt it is vitally important that when large-scale deployment of U.S. troops is involved, it is necessary to have specific congressional authorization for it. And I have tried on several occasions to move the Congress to enact such authorization. In that light, I view the Craig amendment as another such attempt. Unlike Senator Craig, however, I support the expansion of NATO and do not feel this amendment is inconsistent with that support. Unlike Senator Craig, I am not necessarily opposed to the involvement of NATO in peacekeeping missions.”