2001 Ron Paul 52:1
The
SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speakers announced policy of January 3,
2001, the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
PAUL ) is recognized
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
2001 Ron Paul 52:2
Mr. PAUL . Mr. Speaker, the trial
of Slobadon Milosevic
threatens U.S. sovereignty. The fact that this trial can be carried
out, in the name of international justice, should cause all the
Americans to cast a wary eye on the whole principal of the U.N. War
Crimes Tribunal. The prosecution of
Milosevic , a democratically
elected and properly disposed leader of a sovereign
country, could not be carried out without full U.S. military and financial
support. Since we are the only world superpower, the U.N. court becomes
our court under our control. But it is naive to believe our world
superpower status will last forever. The precedence now being set will
1 day surely come back to haunt us.
2001 Ron Paul 52:3
The U.S.
today may enjoy dictating policy to Yugoslavia and elsewhere around the world,
but danger lurks ahead. The administration adamantly and correctly
opposes our membership in the permanent International Criminal Court
because it would have authority to exercise jurisdiction over U.S.
citizens without the consent of the U.S. government. But how can we,
with a straight face, support doing the very same thing to a small
country, in opposition to its sovereignty, courts, and constitution.
This blatant inconsistency and illicit use of force does not go
unnoticed and will sow the seeds of future terrorist attacks against
Americans or even war.
2001 Ron Paul 52:4
Money, as
usual, is behind the
Milosevics
extradition. Bribing Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, a
U.S.-sponsored leader, prompted strong opposition from Yugoslavian
Prime Minister Zoran Zizic and Yugoslavian President Vojislaw
Kostunica.
2001 Ron Paul 52:5
A
Belgrade
historian, Aleksa Djilas, was quoted in The New York Times as saying:
We sold him for money, and we wont really get very much money for
it. The U.S. is the natural leader of the world, but how does it lead?
This justifies the worst American instincts, reinforcing this bullying
mentality.
2001 Ron Paul 52:6
Milosevic
obviously is no saint but neither are the leader of the Croates, the
Albanians or the KLA. The NATO leaders who vastly expanded the death
and destruction in Yugoslavia with 78 days of bombing in 1999 are
certainly not blameless. The $1.28 billion promised the puppet
Yugoslavian government is to be used to rebuild the cities devastated
by U.S. bombs. First, the American people are forced to pay to bomb, to
kill innocent people and destroy cities, and then they are forced to
pay to repair the destruction, while orchestrating a U.N. kangaroo
court to bring the guilty to justice at the Hague.
2001 Ron Paul 52:7
For all
this to be accepted, the press and internationalists have had to
demonize
Milosevic to
distance themselves from the horrors of others including NATO.
2001 Ron Paul 52:8
NATOs
air strikes
assisted the KLA in cleansing Kosovo of Serbs in the name of assisting
Albanian freedom fighters. No one should be surprised when that is
interpreted to mean tacit approval for Albanian expansionism in
Macedonia. While terrorist attacks by former members of the KLA against
Serbs are ignored, the trial of the new millennium, the trial of
Milosevic , enjoys daily
support from the NATO-U.S. propaganda machine.
2001 Ron Paul 52:9
In our
effort to
stop an independent-minded and uncooperative with the international
community president of a sovereign country, U.S. policy was designed to
support an equally if not worse organization, the KLA.
2001 Ron Paul 52:10
One of
the
conditions for ending the civil war in Kosovo was the disbanding of the
KLA. But the very same ruthless leaders of the KLA, now the Liberation
Army of Presovo, are now leading the insurrection in Macedonia without
NATO lifting a finger to stop it. NATOs failed policy that
precipitated the conflict now raging in Macedonia is ignored.
2001 Ron Paul 52:11
The U.N.
War
Tribunal in the Hague should insult the intelligence of all Americans.
This court currently can only achieve arrest and prosecution of leaders
of poor, small, or defeated nations. There will be no war criminals
brought to the Hague from China, Russia, Britain, or the United States
no matter what the charges. But some day this approach to world
governing will backfire. The U.S. already has suffered the humiliation
of being kicked off the U.N. Human Rights Commission and the Narcotics
Control Commission. Our arrogant policy and attitude of superiority
will continue to elicit a smoldering hatred toward us and out of sheer
frustration will motivate even more terrorist attacks against us.
2001 Ron Paul 52:12
Realizing
the weakness of the charges against
Milosevic
the court has quietly dropped the charges for committing genocide. In a
real trial, evidence that the British and the United States actually
did business with
Milosevic
would be permitted. But almost always, whoever is our current most
hated enemy, has received help and assistance from us in the past. This
was certainly the case with Noriega and Saddam Hussein and others, and
now its
Milosevic .
2001 Ron Paul 52:13
Milosevic
will be tried not before a jury of his peers but before a panel of
politically appointed judges, all of whom were approved by the NATO
countries, the same countries which illegally bombed Yugoslavia for 2
1/2 months. Under both U.N. and international law the bombing of Serbia
and Kosovo was illegal. This was why NATO pursued it and it was not
done under a U.N. resolution.
2001 Ron Paul 52:14
Ironically,
the
mess in which weve been engaged in Yugoslavia has the international
establishment supporting the side of Kosovo independence rather than
Serbian sovereignty. The principle of independence and secession of
smaller government entities has been enhanced by the breakdown of the
Soviet system. If theres any hope that any good could come of the
quagmire into which weve rapidly sunk in the Balkans, it is that small
independent nations are a viable and reasonable option to conflicts
around the world. But the tragedy today is that no government is
allowed to exist without the blessing of the One World Government
leaders. The disobedience to the one worlders and true independence is
not to be tolerated. Thats what this trial is all about. Tow the
line or else, is the message that is being sent to the world.
2001 Ron Paul 52:15
NATO and
U.S.
leaders insist on playing with fire, not fully understanding the
significance of the events now transpiring in the Balkans. If policy is
not quickly reversed, events could get out of control and a major war
in the region will erupt.
2001 Ron Paul 52:16
We should
fear and
condemn any effort to escalate the conflict with troops or money from
any outside sources. Our troops are already involved and our money
calls the shots. Extricating ourselves will get more difficult every
day we stay. But the sooner we get out the better. We should be
listening more to candidate George Bushs suggestion during the last
campaign for bringing our troops home from this region.
2001 Ron Paul 52:17
The
Serbs, despite
NATOs propaganda, will not lightly accept the imprisonment of their
democratically elected (and properly disposed) president no matter how
bad he was. It is their problem to deal with and resentment against us
will surely grow as conditions deteriorate. Mobs have already attacked
the American ambassador to Macedonia for our inept interference in the
region. Death of American citizens are sure to come if we persist in
this failed policy.
2001 Ron Paul 52:18
Money and
power has permitted the United States the luxury of dictating terms for
Milosevics
prosecution, but our policy of arbitrary interventions in the Balkans
is sowing the seeds of tomorrows war.
2001 Ron Paul 52:19
We cannot
have it
both ways. We cannot expect to use the International Criminal Tribunal
for Yugoslavia when it pleases us and oppose the permanent
International Criminal Court where the rules would apply to our own
acts of aggression. This cynical and arrogant approach, whether its
dealing with
Milosevic
, Hussein, or Kadafi, undermines peace and presents a threat to our
national security. Meanwhile, American citizens must suffer the tax
burden from financing the dangerous meddling in European affairs, while
exposing our troops to danger.
2001 Ron Paul 52:20
A policy
of
nonintervention, friendship and neutrality with all nations, engagement
in true free trade (unsubsidized trade with low tariffs) is the best
policy if we truly seek peace around the world. That used to be the
American way.
This chapter appeared in Ron Pauls Congressional website at http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2001/cr071701B.htm