USA: WASHINGTON: SENATE APPROVES US TROOPS DEPLOYMENT IN BOSNIA

(14 Dec 1995) English/Nat

The US Senate has approved a resolution supporting American troops deployed in Bosnia, but it does not back President Clinton's policies on the former Yugoslavia.

It also calls for a limit of about one year for the U-S role in helping to implement the Bosnian peace accord, due to be in signed in Paris Thursday by the presidents of the three warring sides.

Senate Republicans joined Democrats to pass the latest compromise.

Four other measures offered this week in Congress are critical of the U-S troop deployment and the administration's handling of Bosnia.

It was a day of highly-charged emotional debate in the Senate on the issue of support for sending troops to Bosnia.

In a twist of political fate, it was President Clinton's chief enemy who led the charge for a resolution supporting the troops.

SOUNDBITE:

"This resolution does not endorse the president's decision. It does not endorse the agreement reached in Dayton, it does support our men and women in uniform. It does limit the mission to military tasks only and requires a realistic exit strategy based on the goal of Bosnian self-reliance. To put it simply, President Clinton has a plan to get us into Bosnia, this resolution shows us a way out."

SUPER CAPTION: Senator Bob Dole, Senate Majority Leader (Republican)

The time for politics had ended, Dole said. The message to U-S troops should be one of unity.

SOUNDBITE:

"This is a signal to the American forces that we support you - we support you, as we should."

SUPER CAPTION: Senator Bob Dole, Senate Majority Leader (Republican)

Democrats angrily joined in support of the Dole measure, criticising Europe for not making a stand.

SOUNDBITE:

"But Europe cannot stay united without the United States. There is no moral centre in Europe. When in the last two centuries have the French, or the British, or the Germans, or the Belgians or the Italians moved in a way to unify that continent - to stand up to this kind of genocide. When have they done it? The only reason anything is happening now is because the United States of America finally - finally was understanding her role."

SUPER CAPTION: Senator Joseph Biden, Democrat.

But some Republicans held out, questioning the commitment of NATO allies compared to their role despite the differences in country sizes.

SOUNDBITE:

"No one will deny that it's more a responsibility of Europe than it is the United States. And yet, we talk about the contribution that our NATO partners are making to this. Germany, who is in the backyard of the Balkans, is sending a total of four-thousand troops and they debated it in their legislative body before they agreed to do that. We didn't have time to debate this before we did it."

SUPER CAPTION: Senator James Inhofe, Republican.

In the end the measure passed.

It was one of six resolutions on Bosnia lawmakers struggled with Wednesday, even as U-S troops were continuing to arrive there.

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