April 3, 1999
Web posted at: 1:07 p.m. EST (1807 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, April 3) -- Virginia's Republican governor, Jim Gilmore, took President Clinton to task Saturday for not clearly communicating the goals of the United States for the NATO military mission in Kosovo.

"Our interests abroad cannot be defended without a clear understanding of what our aims are and without a careful plan for bringing our military might to bear upon an achievable objective," said Gilmore -- a former NATO counter-intelligence agent -- during the Republican weekly radio address.

"This is one of the most simple tests of leadership -- this is a test that I hope President Clinton will pass, but I fear he won't," Gilmore said.

He added that embarking on a military operation without that understanding creates the danger of expanding the crisis, not containing it.

"We, the American people, are eager to rally behind the commander in chief and our troops in times of crisis," he said. "We are doing so today, but President Clinton, in turn, has an obligation to clearly explain his goals, how he will achieve them, and how he will end this crisis."

Saturday, April 3, 1999

• GOP demands Clinton clarify U.S. goals in Kosovo

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