CRISIS IN KOSOVO / CONGRESS

Group Backs 'All Necessary Force'

By Thomas Farragher, Globe Staff, April 21, 1999

WASHINGTON -- With Congress struggling for consensus on future US policy in the Balkans, a bipartisan group of senators yesterday said President Clinton should have available "all necessary force" to defeat Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic -- including the use of ground troops.

"NATO must prevail in Kosovo," said Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat. "Power-hungry maniacs everywhere in the world are watching our actions in the Balkans and gauging our resolve. They must receive an unequivocal message."

The resolution, sponsored by three Democrats and three Republicans, does not specifically call for sending ground troops into Kosovo, but backers said it would give Clinton the legal power to use them if he concluded they were necessary.

"I don't think you can pretend to half fight a war, or to be involved in this kind of conflict with this kind of thug and be less than prepared to overwhelm him," said Senator John F. Kerry, who supports the Senate measure. "I'm not ready to say we should send them in, but we sure as hell have to be prepared."

The Senate proposal, which comes four weeks after NATO bombs began falling in Yugoslavia, underscores the deep disagreement in Congress about what form the fighting should take if the air campaign alone does not vanquish Serbian forces.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi pronounced the Senate resolution premature, noting that Clinton has not sought ground troops and his military advisers have said there are no plans for them.

"I believe we should be planning for all options, including ground troops," said Senator Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Republican. "But I also believe that the air campaign has not yet been fully developed."

And some House members said they are not ready even to consider committing US troops to battle on the ground in Yugoslavia.

"I understand there's something about the American collective psyche that wants immediate results," said Representative William D. Delahunt, a Quincy Democrat and member of the House International Relations Committee. "This is not fast food. This is not about instant results. I mean, we've been there 25 days."

Representative James P. McGovern, a Worcester Democrat, said he is not willing to advocate something that, so far, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have not.

"I would be very reluctant to support the use of ground troops," he said. "I would urge caution here. This is not a simple operation. This is very complicated. The geography and the terrain is such that it would present special problems to our troops if we would put them into hand-to-hand combat over there."

Still, the Senate resolution, backed by Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican and GOP presidential candidate, and senators from across the political spectrum, helped amplify the argument that NATO must demonstrate to Milosevic that it is willing to go beyond bombardment to achieve its objectives.

"I hope this resolution would encourage the administration and our allies to find the courage and resolve to prosecute this war in the manner most likely to result in its early end," McCain said.

Lieberman said he still believes the air campaign can succeed.

"However, it would be irresponsible not to plan for other military options that may be necessary to defeat this enemy," Lieberman said in a speech on the Senate floor. "Not only should all options remain on the table, but all options must be adequately analyzed and prepared. In the case of ground forces, which will take weeks to deploy should they be necessary, we should begin now to plan for the logistics of such a mission."

As some senators discussed the possibility of ground troops, the House is preparing to debate two resolutions sponsored by Representative Tom Campbell, a moderate California Republican, that would either declare war on Yugoslavia or withdraw US forces.

A spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois said that floor debate will proceed next month unless "other members talk Mr. Campbell out of it" -- something Democrats say they expect to happen.

"The Republicans don't want this vote because they want this to be the Clinton-Gore war," said Representative Barney Frank, a Newton Democrat. "That's disgraceful. I wouldn't vote for either of [Campbell's] alternatives, but it is terribly wrong for Congress to duck this."

Representative Martin T. Meehan, a Lowell Democrat, said he would want a House vote on committing ground troops.

"Congress has a critical role to play," said Meehan. "This is an important issue that deserves a full debate."