April 15, 1999
Web posted at: 1:10 p.m. EDT (1710 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, March 15) -- Former American Red Cross President and potential Republican presidential candidate Elizabeth Dole departs, as a private citizen, for Macedonia and Albania later Thursday. Mrs. Dole is heading to the Balkans to "let the (Kosovo) refugees know that we care and hear their plea."

Dole will visit a Kosovo refugee camp in Macedonia on Friday. Saturday she will be in Albania meeting with leaders of that war-torn area, and return to the U.S. on Sunday.

While giving a speech to 4,000 U.S. naval midshipmen in Annapolis,Maryland Wednesday night, Mrs. Dole spoke strongly about the current conflict in Yugoslavia. She said Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic "ought to be labeled a war criminal" and President Bill Clinton must "use all the power necessary" to win in Kosovo.

She tackled head-on the politically volatile question of sending U.S. ground troops into Kosovo.

"If the NATO commanders and the Joint Chiefs of Staff say that ground troops are required to accomplish our goals, then my answer is 'yes,'" she said.

Mrs. Dole, whose husband, Bob, recently served as the president's envoy to the Balkans, accused Clinton not standing firm in his ultimatums to Milosevic.

During her address, Mrs. Dole explained why she should succeed Clinton as their commander in chief: "Credibility counts. And if you have any question about that, look at the U.N. weapons inspections mess in Iraq, or today's tragedy in Kosovo."

The potential GOP presidential candidate has faced criticism that she has not taken hard stands on the issues.

Some of the naval midshipmen targeted hard-hitting questions to Mrs. Dole. One naval midshipmen asked Mrs. Dole, "Are you willing to send your own sons and daughters to bleed in Kosovo, ma'am?"

Mrs. Dole responded by saying yes -- without mentioning that she has no children -- then fumbled in repeating her line about approving troops if recommended by NATO.

Another questioner pressed Mrs. Dole to elaborate on her call for the defense of Taiwan against China, she appeared flustered.

"I've been out of the Red Cross now for three months and there's some issues where I want to take a very careful and thoughtful approach before going forward with the positions," she said. "I am not yet an announced candidate, much less the elected nominee of the party."

One senior Dole adviser said yesterday, Mrs. Dole wanted to contrast herself with Texas Gov. George W. Bush by emphasizing her advantage in foreign policy experience.

Bush, considered Dole's strongest competition for the 2000 GOP nomination, has also been criticized for his non-committal reaction to the strikes in Yugoslavia.

Later this month, Mrs. Dole has scheduled a Washington fund-raiser that will be the first in a series on her current agenda. So far, she has banked a disappointing fraction of the $7 million that Bush raked in during the first three months of 1999.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Thursday, April 15, 1999

• Capitol Hill pushes for cost of Kosovo
• Poll: Support for NATO strikes, and ground troops, growing
• FEC reports: Gore and Bush dominate the race for campaign funds
• Congress approves $1.74 trillion budget for FY 2000
• Elizabeth Dole heading to the Balkans
• Poll: Kosovo has little impact on 2000 landscape
• China trade deal back on track, Congress still poses hurdle
• Diabetic congressman pushes stamp to raise research money
• Impeachment cost at least $1.2 million; some paid $20,000 a month
• House Democrats begin signature drive on campaign finance
• House sends census review bill to Senate
• Gingrich resumes Washington political career
• First lady writing about White House entertaining
• Briefs: House Dems raise record funds; Forbes online; Author Gephardt
• Analysis: Congress complains but doesn't act to fix complex tax code

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