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Officials detail peace plan for panel

Bosnia Hearing

Christopher, Perry appear before House committee

November 30, 1995
Web posted at: 2:45 p.m. EST

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Clinton administration used its powers of persuasion on Capitol Hill Thursday as it continued to push for congressional support for its plan to send 20,000 U.S. troops to Bosnia on a peacekeeping mission.

Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Defense Secretary William Perry and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. John Shalikashvili outlined the mission's purpose and detailed the plan before the House International Relations Committee.

Congressional leaders have criticized the administration's strategy for the mission since the Bosnian Muslims, Croats and Serbs initialed their peace accord in Dayton, Ohio, November 21.

Warren Christopher

Christopher led off the presentation. He called the United States the "core of NATO" and said without U.S. participation there would be no NATO force and the war could erupt again.

"We don't have to imagine the consequences if the war does reignite," Christopher said. "We know what would happen -- more massacres, more concentration camps, more hunger, a real threat of a wider war and an immense danger to our leadership in NATO, in Europe and the world as a whole." (264K AIFF sound or 264K WAV sound)

William Perry

Using charts, Perry outlined the peacekeeping mission in more detail. He said the Pentagon plans to have the complete force of 20,000 U.S. troops deployed in Bosnia by February, and he testified the 60,000-strong NATO force will face many risks, including attacks by those opposed to the peace accord, harsh weather and land mines.

"We now have the first real opportunity to end the war," Perry said. "But to seize this opportunity, without any question at all in my mind, requires the commitment of U.S. troops." (136K AIFF sound or 136K WAV sound)

Shalikashvili

Shalikashvili warned that the mission will be tough and American soldiers could be killed. But he said he is convinced the mission is clear, straight-forward and "do-able." (170K AIFF sound or 170K WAV sound)

Some congressional leaders are not convinced. Cost was a primary concern for the committee's chairman, Rep. Benjamin Gilman, R-New York. Christopher told Gilman that each country participating in the peace mission will bear its own costs, and Perry said the United States' estimated overall cost for the mission would be about $2 billion "in round figures."

Christopher added that about $600 million would be needed over a three-year period for reconstruction.

William Goodling

Rep. William Goodling, R-Pennsylvania, said he is skeptical about a one-year peace mission in a region where conflict has been erupting for 17 centuries. Goodling said his repeated requests for answers to numerous questions have continually fallen on deaf ears. (281K AIFF sound or 281K WAV sound)

Referring to the success of the Mideast peace accord, Rep. Sam Gejdenson, D-Connecticut, called on his colleagues to not let the historic nature of the conflict deter the peace process in the Balkans.

Though he expressed concern, Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, said he believes Congress must recognize the president has the constitutional right to act.

"We as a Congress should not undercut the mission," Leach said. "Indeed, at this point ... except for second guessing, the arguments are largely over and what Congress now has to cope with is how we can make this mission successful."

Meanwhile, presidential press secretary Mike McCurry announced Thursday morning that Clinton will attend the official ceremony December 14 in Paris at which the document that is designed to end the 43-month conflict will be signed.

He was invited by French President Jacques Chirac. Clinton will go to the ceremony and return to the United States on the same day, because of the ongoing congressional budget negotiations.

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