European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday december 19, 1994 a commentary the stars and stripes Page 13mission in Bosnia halt the serbian aggression William Safire president Clinton wants americans to believe that we have Long been committed to using . Ground troops to extract . Peacekeepers from Bosnia. That is false. A we agreed for planning purposes a he told uni vision a that in the event the United nations Mission in Bosnia would be terminated and the soldiers had to get out and they were in trouble so that they needed Protection in getting out that we would participate in doing a that is a commitment that the unites states has had for some time now a Clinton added. A we said that Back before i became president and when president Bush was m office and the europeans said that they wanted to take the Lead in Bosnia and we encouraged them to do that but if they got in trouble and had to get out we would help them get out that was his explanation for announcing his decision to Send up to 25,000 . Troops to Bosnia if asked to cover the withdrawal of the 23,000 lightly armed peacekeeper hostages. Initial congressional and editorial reaction to Clinton a carrying out Bush a commitment was predictable we have to keep our Promise but our involvement Haa better be limited to the withdrawal and under an american commander with everybody Home Quick Etc. Nobody stopped to ask exactly who promised what to whom and Why is this the first we be heard of it i called Lawrence Eagleburger Secretary of state at the end of the Bush administration to ask if he had made a secret commitment to Send our troops to Rescue Allied troops. A i done to want to Call the president a liar a he replied a but i done to remember any such commitment. Ask i called Brent scowcroft Bush a National Security adviser. A when they put their forces in a he recalled a we said a i think to John major a that if it became necessary we would protect them with our air Power. We never talked about sending in american ground no High level publicly accountable Clinton administration official wanted to refute the presidents misleading implication that in sending ground troops he was carrying out his predecessors Promise. The administration person assigned to respond on background did some checking and replied a your commitment was confined to air Power. There were discussions during the Bush administration about the use of ground troops but no commitments. We have now extended this to include ground forces. It is not a continuation but an Extension of the earlier commitment that a a whole new Kettle of fish. With no debate without congressional examination and without even a straight explanation Clinton has committed to our allies a who have treated All our bosnian suggestions with contempt a up to 25.000 . Combat troops to cover their Retreat. How a that for untrammelled presidential Power has anyone stopped to define the worlds Mission in the Balkans it is not to feed refugees not to pressure the vie Tims to surrender not primarily to protect the protectors. The Mission is to Stop serbian aggression and Force an equitable end to the War. To that end the United states should contribute what no other nation can to coerce the aggressor the massive application of air Power. But the British and French wont near of that they want to get their troops extricated and our ground troops intricate. Before Congress oks the Clinton a a Extension to help cover the withdrawal of . Hostages we should get return commitments 1. A commitment of 25,000 British 25.000 French and 25,000 German troops among others to match the magnanimous Clinton ground troop offer with each command assigned a sector to bring out the . Hostages. 2. A commitment by nato nations to lift the embargo now preventing Bosnia s muslims from defending their land and by the . Forces to turn Over military equipment in Bosnia to muslims if serbs threaten departing < peacekeepers. 3. Natos commitment to bomb serbian military and strategic targets after the withdrawal actively taking the Muslim Side until serbs withdraw to the 50-50 partition agreed to by Bosnia. A superpower does not put its soldiers and pilots at risk solely to cover an ignominious Retreat. The . Should seize this moment to Brush aside the United nations and organize a nato Victory for collective Security. C new York Timet -lean7 americans have the i they were born in a land w Here work and Hope were rights not dreams and for the rest of their fives it gave them a Spring in their walk. They did not claim the Earth just that part of it they could earn with their muscle and brain. They believed Good steady work wages moving up was their part ownership in their own society. They believed that next year would be better than this one if not always for them then for sure for their children. Generally they turned out right so the children believed it too generation after generation. American optimism a for two centuries you could touch it believe in it As it built a great nation. No other country in history had an inspiration a system a concept a mixture of people a gift of god a face Rivage a american optimism grew out of All of them a that worked As Well created so much for so Many. In times when despair did descend on the nation or parts of it America discovered the leadership it needed a a Lincoln a Franklin d. Roosevelt a Kiri. What were Kings dreams but the reaching Cut for a right to believe in american optimism now it is withering. If it expires the epitaph will be a dead of lean and if you Are looking for Basic meaning in the last election it is that americans Are beginning to understand that the unwritten contract Between them and their society is being torn up. The understanding was that in bad times count Young Black men. Inflation is under control foreign Trade growing corporate profits generally up productivity rising. But nobody sings and dances. Instead americans Are edgy. They look for targets a sometimes immigrants the press and in the last election the party in Power. They Are mad and should be madder. The Surprise is that americans Are so passive while the foundations of their working lives and nation building optimism Are destroyed. They All know what is going on a that often it takes a husband and wife to earn what the husband once earned that in a time that should be Prosperity thousands of americans Are fired by companies showing Nice profits that if the unemployed do find a Job it is at lower wages and lower dignity and t their kids will be Lucky to am. Rosenthal would Hurt but that if the Boss was doing Well so the workers r better wages to take Home More Job Security to build on. Unemployment is Low a Well if you done to wan to the get that much. Politicians and journalists use new terms for millions of american workers and their children a the losing class the anxious class. Yesterday s people. If americans were not anxious they would be fools. First they lost the right to Public Security now that of Job or Pride. A companies that once built links with employees now build Headquarters designed to keep them away no personal desks please. I is no tragedy when either party is thrown out that to be mean is what elections do. The sorrow is that republicans and democrats think the solution is to throw the Middle and working class a pizza or two a which is what tax cuts will get them is that what american conservatism and liberalism have come Down to a not steady jobs at better wages but a Choice of toppings on the cheese As a conservative Liberal and bleeding heart conservative i hate to believe it. Despite the presidents tax Cut speech the real comeback Chance is with the republicans but so far they Are not even approaching it. I cling precariously to the Hope that some Republican of courage a maybe Jack Kemp maybe Bill Bennett a will Campaign for the party to Call in its chips to convince business executives that firing thousands in Good times or shifting full time workers to temporary help without benefits is not Good business sense but a disaster in the oven. Give private Industry the billions wasted so far on government a a retraining programs. A but tax the Money Back if business does not then show Job results. If leanness meanness goes on too Long and american optimism finally Dies workers May one Day fill the streets again. There will be no for to Rescue capitalism. A new counterculture can grow this one not besotted by drugs and narcissism. American business will find out How very mean life can get. C new Yorac times
