Dean urged Clinton to take unilateral action in Bosnia

USATODAY ^ | 01/14/04 | Steve Komarow

[Pikamax]

Dean urged Clinton to take unilateral action in Bosnia By Steve Komarow, USA TODAY Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean, a strong critic of what he calls President Bush's unilateral approach to foreign policy, urged President Clinton to act unilaterally and enter the war in Bosnia in 1995. (Related item: Text of letter) "I have reluctantly concluded that the efforts of the United States and NATO in Bosnia are a complete failure," he wrote, citing reports of genocide during the Bosnian civil war. "If we ignore these behaviors ... our moral fiber as a people becomes weakened. ... We must take unilateral action."

[Pikamax]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-01-14-dean-letter_x.htm

Posted 1/14/2004 12:00 AM


Howard Dean letter to President Clinton
Below is the text of Howard Dean's letter to President Clinton on the conflict in Bosnia, dated July 19, 1995.
The Honorable William J. Clinton

President of the United States

The White House

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

After long and careful thought, and after several years of watching the gross atrocities committed by the Bosnian Serbs, I have reluctantly concluded that the efforts of the United Nations and NATO in Bosnia are a complete failure.

I think your policy up to this date has been absolutely correct. We must give, and have given, this policy with our allies and with the United Nations every opportunity to work. It is evident, however, that the cost in human lives in allowing this policy to continue is too great. In addition, and perhaps more importantly for the United States, we are now in a position of ignoring, as many did in the 1940s, one of the worst crimes committed in history. If we ignore these behaviors, no matter where they occur, our moral fiber as a people becomes weakened. As the Catholic Church and others lost credibility during the Holocaust for not speaking out, so will the United States lose credibility and our people lose confidence in themselves as moral beings if the United States does not take action.

Since it is clearly no longer possible to take action in conjunction with NATO and the United Nations, I have reluctantly concluded that we must take unilateral action. While I completely agree with you that no ground troops should be committed for other than humanitarian purposes in Bosnia, I would ask that you take the following steps in Bosnia. First, lift the arms embargo as it applies to the Bosnian government. Second, enforce a full embargo of the sort that is now in effect in Iraq on the Bosnian Serbs and upon Yugoslavia. Third, break off diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. Fourth, commit American air power to support the Bosnian government until the situation is stabilized and the civilian murders and atrocities by the Bosnian Serbs have been stopped.

I understand the risks of this policy and their implications for the NATO Alliance and the future success of the United Nations. Surely, however, as you watch and read about the huge amount of unwarranted human suffering, particularly of children, you would agree that our current course must now be changed.

I urge you to make these changes as soon as possible, and I look forward to supporting your policy fully to the best of my ability.

Sincerely,

Howard Dean, M.D.

Governor

[JohnHuang2]

The modern 'Just War' principles according to Dean:

The use of force is just so long as there's a Democrat in the White House.
The use of force is wrong if there's a Republican in the White House.

[DTA]

So, Dean is the originator of IRANGATE and Bringing AL-QAEDA into Europe?

Without Bosnia there would be no 9-11

Thank you Mr. Dean, thank you Mr. Clintoon

[baseballmom]

Unbelievable.

We must give, and have given, this policy with our allies and with the United Nations every opportunity to work

How long was this policy given to work? We gave Iraq 12 years.

Since it is clearly no longer possible to take action in conjunction with NATO and the United Nations, I have reluctantly concluded that we must take unilateral action

I'm really at a loss for words. Dean is a lying hypocrite. He is USING this war in Iraq for purely political purposes. I really thought he was standing on prinicple - even though I thoroughly disagreed with him. He has no principles. He is just another 'Rat slimeball.

[JohnHuang2]

bttt

[river rat]

You just have to wonder --- HOW did this memo from Dean come to light at the USAToday?

Strange forces are coming to play - against Dr. Dean...

Semper Fi

[DTA]

The modern 'Just War' principles according to Dean:

The use of force is just so long it benefits Islamonazis.

Never forget !

[tkathy]

If Bush had done exactly the same things as Clinton did in Bosnia, he would be vilified by the dims.

[Doctor13]

Unfortunately, the mess in the Balkans started with Bush Sr.

In his book, "The Politics of Diplomacy: Revolution, War and Peace, 1989-1992," former Secretary of State James Baker wrote, "After the meeting, I had Larry Eagleburger take Silajdzic (former Bosnian Prime Minister Haris) to see the EC troika political directors (who happened to be visiting the Department) and asked Margaret Tutwiler to talk to the foreign minister about the importance of using Western mass media to build support in Europe and North America for the Bosnian cause. I also had her talk to her contacts at the four television networks, The Washington Post, an the New York Times to try to get more attention to focus on the story."

In other words, President Bush, Mr. Baker, Mr. Eagleburger, et al, never intended to be impartial in the Bosnian civil war and were willing, if necessary, to present a distorted, anti-Serbian bias to the American people and a favorable image of the Bosnian Muslims regardless of their shadowy part in the war.

Eagleburger himself said that Bosnian Muslims are being killed everyday in Bosnia Herzegovina and we have to show to the Islamic world that we care and are willing to do something about it.

This, then was to be our foreign policy and we are seeing the results today. Islam along with al Qaeda's terrorists today have their Bosnia corridor into Europe.

The sad part about it is that the mess we created is being ignored by the West and the Albanians now have their eye on the Southern part of Serbia, Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro, and a chunk of Northern Greece. And it will happen using the same methods that they used to steal Serbia's Jerusalem in Kosovo - by self-inflicting atrocities.

[Doctor13]

Thank you for posting this.

[GulliverSwift]

This is huge news! Further proof that all of the Dims (except for Martian Kucinich) would have attacked Iraq as well. Of course, they'd have botched the job like Clark did, but the point remains.

The only reason Democratic politicians criticize this war is because it wasn't prosecuted by one of their own.

[PJ-Comix]

"If we ignore these behaviors ... our moral fiber as a people becomes weakened. ... We must take unilateral action."

When I saw this headlined on Drudge, I thought it would just be an interpretation of Dean asking for unilateral action. But when I read the story, Dopey Dean actually WROTE "WE MUST TAKE UNILATERAL ACTION." I wonder how Dr. Dean will explain this away? BTW, how did this letter become public? Since the letter was written to Clinton guess, who the source of this news was.

[PJ-Comix]

HOW did this memo from Dean come to light at the USAToday?

Look at WHO the letter was addressed to and you have the answer.

[TheBlueMax]

I see the fingerprints of Bill Clinton all over this and the timing of this release!

[PJ-Comix]

I see the fingerprints of Bill Clinton all over this and the timing of this release!

Yup! The Clintons have been sitting on this letter for a long time and released it just before the Iowa caucuses to screw Dean bigtime. Believe me, if the Clintons favored the nomination of Dean, this letter would never have seen the light of day this election cycle. They are probably sitting on damaging info on Weasley Clark but won't use it against him as long as he stays "on reservation."

[PJ-Comix]

It will be FUN to hear Dr. Dean's excuse on this one. I expect Rush to talk about this today.

[Miss Marple]

Fascinating, isn't it? Yes, this definitely came from the Clintons.

What is interesting is how the party is breaking into two groups, eitiher pro or anti Clinton.

I do believe the convention is going to be really a fun-filled five days!

[auboy]

The July 19, 1995, letter, obtained by USA TODAY, was written on Dean's official stationery as Vermont governor.

Open up your records, Gov. Dean!

[William McKinley]

LOL

Kinda hard to misinterpret that.