Elizabeth Dole on War & Peace

Too many politicians made responses too slow Dole says too many politicians were involved in what should be a military campaign. She said NATO hasn’t been flying as many sorties as the US did in the Persian Gulf war and that the alliance was late in targeting communications systems in the region, allowing the Yugoslav government to continue its propaganda campaign. Source: CNN AllPolitics May 10, 1999

We must win, even if it takes ground troops Dole flew this week to a refugee camp in Macedonia. The tales she’d heard were “absolutely horrific,” said Dole. “This is a war we must win,” even if it takes American troops to do it. Source: Newsweek Magazine, p. 32 Apr 26, 1999

Use ground troops if needed to push back Milosevic I call on President Clinton to rally our nation, strengthen our international coalitions and build up and deploy the forces necessary to win the war. To secure our objectives, Milosevic’s forces must depart from Kosovo and the refugees must return safely under the protection of a NATO-led force. [We must prevent] genocide where we can. Does that mean ground troops? 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. Source: Speech at United States Naval Academy, April 14, 1999 Apr 14, 1999

We must stop a threat to peace and progress Some people ask, do we have a national interest in Kosovo? The answer is, we have an interest in Europe. Our leadership is needed when aggression jeopardizes that region’s stability and security and threatens our deepest democratic values. But today, we must deal with reality. In Kosovo, we are the only power capable of stopping an immense threat to peace and progress throughout that region. We and our allies should carry out that mission in the swiftest and most effective way possible. Source: Speech at United States Naval Academy, April 14, 1999 Apr 14, 1999

Use military force when US “national values” at stake Refugees [from Bosnia in 1992] reported beatings and torture; brothers and cousins shot, wives and young sisters raped. Should the US really get involved in any of this? [Can’t] groups like the Red Cross handle humanitarian concerns? Can’t the UN and regional bodies take care of regional problems? The answer is simple. Wherever America’s national interests and our national values intersect, this nation must lead. That includes using military force when necessary. Source: Speech at United States Naval Academy, April 14, 1999 Apr 14, 1999