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EXTENSIONS of REMARKS 8261 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS OUR CHOICE: NATIONAL POWER in Lebanon in 1958, and Off Cuba in 1962, Once Decimated, Is Building Anew

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EXTENSIONS of REMARKS 8261 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS OUR CHOICE: NATIONAL POWER in Lebanon in 1958, and Off Cuba in 1962, Once Decimated, Is Building Anew April 5, 1984 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 8261 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS OUR CHOICE: NATIONAL POWER In Lebanon in 1958, and off Cuba in 1962, once decimated, is building anew. Our econ­ OR PARALYSIS we had the will power to stand tough. omy is improving, and people are going back Proper use of diplomacy, fused with mili­ to work. But most importantly, Americans tary power, stemmed each crisis. But would are again feeling good about themselves and HON. FLOYD SPENCE a belligerent Nation believe us today? Could this great Nation. OF SOUTH CAROLINA we take quick action and keep peace? Some Still, some symptoms of that era of defeat IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES students of Government sincerely doubt it. remain, causing us to falter a bit as we step They say-at best, any similar action by a forward. I see some symptoms remaining in Thursday, April 5, 1984 President today would cause full-scale areas close to my daily experience, as uni­ e Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, last debate, not only in Congress, but by arm­ formed head of our Navy, and member of week, on Wednesday, March 28, the chair strategists as well, thereby dulling our the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. reaction ti.me. Our resolve would be doubt­ Case in point-recently in Lebanon, we ex­ ed. Or at worst, we would fail to use military ecuted a mission called "Presence." Pres­ Jam.es D. Watkins, delivered a memo­ power effectively to carry out a mission of ence is supposed to signal our interest in an rable address to the Baltimore Council great urgency. area or a situation. But this signal was on Foreign Affairs. In remarks as Why? Because something about us has weakened by time limitations imposed timely as any I have read in a long changed they say; a metamorphosis oc­ under the War Powers Resolution. This in­ time, Admiral Watkins examines the curred between the 1950s and the early fluenced our military mission in Lebanon, position in which our Nation presently 1980s. Over the past 30 years, we have all and hampered our President from carrying finds itself when called upon to re­ seen symptoms of this change. out national objectives in a well-planned spond to an international crisis and First, there was Korea, then the pain of manner. Vietnam. Later, we saw fellow citizens taken Now all we hear is the presto-pundits, concludes that we have serious prob­ prisoner and humiliated in Iran, and a daily coming out with their analysis of our mili­ lems in presenting to the rest of the parade of media criticism which made it tary presence in Lebanon. You lost they say; world a clear or convincing image of sound like we couldn't do anything right. you retreated they proclaim; all this with an our goals and commitments. There were plenty of symptoms of what ap­ "I told you so" tone of glee in their voice. Admiral Watkins has rendered a peared to be a terminal case of spirit loss. But while the man in uniform is easy to great public service in highlighting Vietnam, more than any other single identify at the scene of the action, it is some of the difficulties we face in pro­ event, epitomized this change in America. unfair to pin blame on his lapel without jecting military power to influence the The images of this conflict, from Kent State looking at underlying causes. to Khe Sanh, flashed upon our TV screens So how can this Nation best use her mili­ course of international events. His ob­ each night and nauseated this country. We tary forces? By allowing the President to ex­ servations are mandatory reading for wondered what we were doing in that mess. ercise his constitutional powers, and then all serious students of foreign and For us in the military, Vietnam was a con­ holding him accountable for his actions; not military affairs. They deserve the fusing and ever-changing maze of rules of by preempting his proper action by remov­ most careful consideration of our col­ engagement and policy. The Vietnam con­ ing his powers. leagues and I am pleased to include at flict-which I don't even call a war because We can do this by curing the few remain­ this point in the RECORD the full text we lacked a national commitment to win­ ing symptoms of our past weaknesses. We of his remarks to the Baltimore Coun­ was like an exercise in how to fight by must shirk off the Vietnam syndrome of hu­ public opinion poll. miliation and defeat, which hounds our ca­ cil on Foreign Affairs: I can remember the ti.me, when I was ex­ pability to implement positive change. I be­ OUR CHOICE: NATIONAL POWER OR PARALYSIS ecutive officer of the cruiser U.S.S. Long lieve a good way to start is for Congress to Let me take you back twenty-five years to Beach, that we had to self-destruct one of carefully review the War Powers Resolution 1958, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower our missiles aimed and fired at a North Viet­ of 1973. told a tense Nation he was sending 5,000 namese MIG aircraft, retiring back to Hanoi Much has happened over the past ten Marines into Lebanon. Their mission-to after raiding our forces in the South, be­ years. Perhaps now it is time to factor in preserve peace in the Middle East. His steps cause predicted missile intercept was slight­ the lessons we learned. Reviewing the War were tough, courageous and successful. ly north of a certain Vietnamese parallel­ Powers Resolution could help us develop Peace was preserved without firing a single an arbitrary political restriction. During the better ways to meet the needs of a dynamic, shot. Vietnam conflict, political considerations effective foreign policy. Heresy? I do not be­ Just four years later, on the evening of here at home often dictated military oper­ lieve so. October twenty-second, 1962, President ations to a debilitating extent. I am not a constitutional scholar, and John F. Kennedy told us that the Soviets So a creeping national malaise began to must judge this resolution's effects through were preparing to introduce offensive, nu­ infect this Nation's spirit, drive and determi­ my experience as a military leader. For this clear-tipped missiles into our hemisphere. nation. Many individuals have questioned reason, I believe that while the intent of That was the beginning of a showdown be­ our self-worth, doubted our dignity, and this legislation is good, the result is not as tween this Nation and the Soviet Union­ with that, every American value we had clear. the Cuban missile crisis. Again, an American always nourished and cherished. Some have This resolution was born out of controver­ President took quick steps to turn a crisis rejected principles which worked for us in sy, fathered by an uneasy Congress over the around, including the provocative step of the past, which helped to make us great. veto of a politically-wounded President. It implementing a strict naval quarantine on Rejected too was an important principle, directs a President to consult whenever pos­ all offensive military equipment under ship­ one which had worked for us from our very sible with Congress prior to introduction of ment to Cuba. beginnings. This was the principle which al­ U.S. forces into any hostilities or situations These actions were summarized by Presi­ lowed a President to use military force judi­ where imminent hostilities are clearly indi­ dent Kennedy, not with a threat, but with a ciously in support of national policy and se­ cated; it requires a President to report to promise-"any hostile move anywhere in curity. Congress within 48 hours after the introduc­ the world against the safety and freedom of This basic principle of our Constitution tion of U.S. Armed Forces into those situa­ peoples to whom we are committed . will was clouded by passage of the War Powers tions; and to terminate the use of Armed be met by whatever action is needed." Resolution of 1973. This resolution was Forces in hostilities, or situations of immi­ And again, aggressors understood the mes­ caused by a long queue of events-starting nent hostilities, within 60 days. When sage. It was clear-we were standing ready with a hotly-contested, much-debated, bound by this resolution, the only alterna­ to defend our national interests. They "police action" in Korea-and culminating tives then available are: Congress subse­ backed down and dismantled their missile in the Vietnam experience. quently declares war, extends the 60-day sites in Cuba. Peace was preserved without But today, America has changed. We are time period or authorizes use of force as the firing a single shot. on the move again. Our military strength, President feels necessary . alternatives e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member ·on the floor. 8262 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS April 5, 1984 announced to the adversary for him to ma­ more convincing threat had I made it on tary-which are part of this Nation's coher­ nipulate by counter-political strategies. any other day. For that very day the Con­ ent national strategy of defense. Proponents of this resolution say it is part gress passed the so-called War Powers Act, The President has brought together all of a valid congressional movement, designed whose purpose was to reduce Presidential underpinnings of a national strategy. Now it to "create machinery for timely consulta­ discretion in committing American military is up to this Nation to let the President use tion and codetermination of national forces." the tools at his disposal.
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