Russ Feingold: “I rise today to add my thoughts to this critical debate about the potential deployment of United States troops to Kosovo…”

“I rise today to add my thoughts to this critical debate about the potential deployment of United States troops to Kosovo as part of a NATO peacekeeping mission. I commend the Senator from Texas, Senator Hutchison, for her commitment to ensuring that the Members of this body have the opportunity to fully debate this important issue. I also commend the Senator from New Hampshire, Senator Smith, for his work on this issue, and I share his contention that the President should seek congressional authorization prior to ordering a deployment to Kosovo. Mr. President, like all of us, I am gravely concerned about the situation in Kosovo. More than 2,000 people, including women and children, have been killed since the fighting between ethnic Albanians and Serb security forces escalated just over a year ago. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee from their homes and hide in the woods during the cold winter months. Those that are able to return to their villages often find their possessions looted and their homes burned. Recent television news reports have shown Serb police shamelessly waiving to the cameras as they steal televisions and other valuables from the deserted homes of ethnic Albanians before setting the homes on fire. Even today, as peace talks have adjourned without an agreement, the violence continues in Kosovo.”