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| Wellstone
Calls on President Clinton to Explain Criteria for Selecting Bombing Targets Says
Senate Must Ensure That U.S. is Observing International Rules of War |
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WASHINGTON
- May 27 - Expressing his deep concerns about the targeting of civilian sites
in the ongoing NATO air war against Yugoslavia, Senator Paul Wellstone asked President
Clinton today to explain to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and to other
congressional committees of jurisdiction how targets for destruction are selected.
In a letter to the President, Wellstone wrote that the Senate has "an obligation
to ensure that this military campaign, being waged in our name, is being conducted
consistent with the internationally-accepted rules of war -- rules which prohibit
deliberate military attacks against civilian targets." The Senate voted on March
23 to authorize U.S. forces to conduct air strikes in Yugoslavia.
"To enable the Senate to carry out this duty, I am requesting that your Administration
provide to relevant Senate committees with jurisdiction over this matter, including
the Foreign Relations Committee on which I serve, briefings on the decision-making
process for targeting air strikes. These briefings should provide Senators with
a clear explanation of the criteria used to select bombing targets and the goals
intended to be achieved by bombing particular sets of targets," Wellstone wrote.
"I am especially troubled by the continuing targeting of what appear to be primarily
civilian sites -- electricity grids, water systems, sewage systems and the like
-- for destruction by NATO forces. I understand that there is a legitimate case
to be made for striking certain dual-use targets that have high military value...at
the same time, I am skeptical of what I consider to be the more attenuated claims
by NATO officials that targets such as the electricity grid are appropriate military
targets," Wellstone wrote.
On March 31, Wellstone wrote President Clinton to express his concern about the
initial bombing of sites in downtown Belgrade which carried risks of high civilian
casualties. Since May 3, Wellstone has called for NATO to consider a temporary
and conditional pause in the air campaign against Yugoslavia in order to bolster
diplomatic efforts, and allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid to internally-displaced
people still within Kosovo.
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