The presidential candidates speak on Kosovo

Globe Staff, April 5, 1999

A look at what the candidates for president have said about US involvement in the Kosovo crisis.

"Once we've started bombing we should bomb aggressively and consistently and for a long time to try and bring Milosevic to the table. But the president needs to tell us the rest of the story. Which is that if we put peacekeeping American forces in Kosovo they are going to be there for a long time, maybe as long as they have been in Korea, 25 to 50 years. . . . If I were president of the United States, I would be saying, no ground forces to Kosovo at all."

"I oppose NATO bombing in Yugoslavia because the president has failed to make the case for American involvement to both Congress and the American people. I am concerned there is no long-range strategy for ending US involvement in the Balkans once American force is committed in the region."

Bill Bradley

"I fully support the American and NATO troops who are now in danger overseas. However, I have serious questions about our policy. We are escalating our commitment without establishing a clear exit strategy."

"There is no vital American interest in fighting over whose flag flies over Pristina."

President Clinton "is going to have to explain to the American people why ground troops would be needed and how they intend to come out. . . . The mistakes would have been to make threats and then no follow-through. . . . Any time we commit American troops, though, I believe we must have a clear mission, an achievable goal, and a credible exit strategy. . . . My question is, is it good for America?"

"In a situation which could be an escalating dangerous military situation that could cause instability in Europe, it is important that we be involved."

"To end the human suffering in Kosovo, we must do three things: remove the Vietnam-like restrictions on the use of airpower against the Serbs, arm the Kosovar Albanians, and offer a significant and immediate infusion of humanitarian aid to the refugees fleeing Milosevic's genocidal blood lust."

"There is no doubt in my mind that we're doing the right thing."

"I share the concern about the plights of the people [of Kosovo], but the great challenge is to determine where it is in our direct national interest, and I don't find this to be in our direct national interest."

"I . . . am concerned . . . that we could be getting into something that will be very difficult to achieve our goals of preventing the spread of the conflict in the region and this bloodletting. . . . I expressed very grave concerns about the lack of strategy, at least in my mind, as to what we do if these air strikes don't work . . . I think it's time to get a lot tougher. . . ."

"We didn't have to be in this position. If we had a strong, decisive commander in chief with a strong foreign policy, I am convinced we wouldn't be on the verge of basically going to war over there. . . . The United States can take the lead when it comes to intelligence, logistics, medical help, and things like that. But when it comes to ground troops, and ground support, I say that you really need to have the Europeans there. It's a European problem."

"The president made a grave mistake by having the US military intervene in the civil war of a sovereign nation. I support our troops, and know that they are the best in the world. However, I strongly believe the lives of these American soldiers are worth more than this risky endeavor -- one which has no exit strategy and no end game."

SOURCES: The Hotline; candidates' Web sites; news reports

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