Sunday, May 02, 1999
Portman, Chabot firm in opposition to war
BY PAUL BARTON
Enquirer Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — When it came to one of the toughest foreign policy votes of their congressional careers — whether to endorse the air campaign against Yugoslavia — Reps. Rob Portman and Steve Chabot said they could not support the current U.S. involvement.
Together, they reflect much of the unhappiness in Congress among Republicans over President Clinton's decision to initiate the war and the administration's prosecution of it.
Mr. Chabot, R-Cincinnati, said he sees nothing but the worst ahead if the Clinton administration does not change course.
“I think it is clear this administration is moving toward a ground war. All the signs are there, and that's the direction Clinton intends to go. We're trying to stop this mess before it is too late,” he said.
The two Cincinnati-area members were among 213 members of the House who blocked a resolution endorsing the NATO air campaign last week.
“My concern about the air war is so great I couldn't vote for (a measure) that I thought was endorsing his policy,” Mr. Portman said.
The White House blundered, Mr. Portman said, by bringing the resolution to the floor without evaluating support for it first.
“They didn't do a head count,” he said.
Messrs. Portman and Chabot said a refusal to endorse the air campaign should not be taken as a signal of encouragement to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
The measure that would have encouraged Mr. Milosevic, had it passed, was the one calling for a withdrawal of American forces within 30 days, Mr. Portman said. Mr. Chabot voted for the withdrawal; Mr. Portman did not.
Mr. Chabot, asked if his vote was encouraging to Mr. Milosevic, said “I don't think so.”
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