Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
Lawmakers 9/22/1983
Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
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Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
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Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
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Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
Linda Wertheimer lists topics on program: tentative compromise between Reagan and Congress over War Powers, but Congress still concerned about US Marines in Lebanon. Other business involving abortion, jobs bill, and farm subsidies.
Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
Cokie Roberts introduces report on War Powers and Lebanon Crisis. The compromise would allow Congress to declare the War Powers Act without Reagan acceding to it, and allow Marines to remain in Lebanon. There are still doubts about the Marine peacekeeping role now that there is no peace.
Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
September 21, 1983. General Paul Kelley, commandant USMC (United States Marine Corps) testifying to Congressional Committee The mission, the role of the Marines, Mr. Broomfield, who went into Vietnam, I mean Lebanon a Freudian slip, one year ago has not changed George Shultz, Secretary of State, testifying One of the things that we see, more and more, is that the violence is not simply, perhaps in some cases not even primarily, the result of civil strife, but rather is stemming from Syrian influence. And more and more we see as fighters, Palestinian units, non-Lebanese units. That s not a civil war. That is non-Lebanese forces. If the world see that when American sends its forces to perform a legitimate mission, asked for by the legitimate government involved, and it does so. And then the minute some trouble arises we turn tail and beat it, I think that sends a gigantic message around the world that is very undesirable Representative Sam Gejdenson (D - Connecticut) But the President does agree that at the end of 18 months the President will remove the troops from Lebanon unless he gets further Congressional authorization? George Shultz, Secretary of State, The President has agreed to sign this resolution. And he has stated that he has some reservations about it. And when he signs the resolution, he ll express his reservations. So he s not going to get himself in the position as Commander And Chief where his hands are tied as to the disposition of forces in some irretrievable way. Representative Toby Roth (D Wisconsin) Well General, let me say this, there is no light at the end of this tunnel. And this resolution is one that s going to come back to haunt us some day, I m sure of that. Because you re not going to solve those problems over there with no 12,000 Marines or multilateral force. It s going to take much more than that General Paul Kelley, commandant USMC (United States Marine Corps) Well, I would hasten to say that I don t want to get in an argument. I do not agree with you sir. I think there is some hope there. And I think that as long as there is hope in that country to find a reasonable solution to a long lasting problem, I think that we should persevere. That s the American way.
Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
Linda Wertheimer, Cokie Roberts, and Representative Sam Gejdenson (D - Connecticut) discuss Lebanon Policy. Linda Wertheimer. Congressman, were you satisfied when you heard the response from the Secretary of State? Representative Sam Gejdenson (D - Connecticut). Well the Secretary obviously makes me a little uncomfortable. Here we are, we re making an agreement that certainly provides some political protection for the President, it shows a form of unity in the country on this particular issue and then he tells me that all the things we re agreed to the limits on the number of soldiers, the limit on the time, the limit of the deployment the President doesn t really want to get locked in. That obviously makes me as concerned as I think it does many other members of Congress. But what we do have here is we do have a document. We have the President in agreement that he will sign that document that does delineate those things. And it is a considerably different case than working without the President s agreement. And one of the reasons I m inclined to be supportive and will most likely support this resolution, is that it is the best vehicle we have at the moment. Next week or next month, it may be worth the fight to try to pass a resolution in the House and in the Senate and try to get the President to sign it that would pull the Marines out. We don t have the votes to do that. This is a vehicle that provides some limitations.
Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
Linda Wertheimer. What do you think the people of Connecticut would like you to do? Representative Sam Gejdenson (D - Connecticut). I think most of the people in Connecticut would like to see the Marines out of there (Lebanon) almost immediately. There are some problems with that. It s the kind of thing that I think we all initially would like to do. These are Americans; they re in a very difficult situation. Why can t we just bring them home right now. I think you have to take a look at where we are. The United States is joined in with several other countries in a multinational force. We ve put the Marines in there. And that s a concern of ours, the safety of the Marines. But we also have Lebanese citizens who have put their lives on the line because the United States says you go try to form a pro-Western government and we re going to provide you some degree of protection. So in that balance what we in the House are trying to do is to provide some limits on what the President can do limit his role, the time he can stay there, and what he can do with the Marines.
Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
Cokie Roberts. You talk about getting some political cover, the President getting political cover here, you taking some of the responsibility for having the Marines there. Why are you so willing to do it here when you balked so much at the Central American policy? Representative Sam Gejdenson (D - Connecticut). Well I think it s a different situation. Central America, I think we know the debate and the issues in that area. In Lebanon what s different is there are Marines in place at the moment. There are Marine lives that are in danger. There is also a government there that has made a number of decisions on the basis of our Marines being present. We ve also forced the Israelis to some degree to move out. Which again has created more uncertainty in the region. It is again a physical presence of the United States and to some degree what the Secretary says is accurate. If we just pull them out now, that s going to create tremendous ramifications throughout the Middle East.
Lawmakers 9/22/1983 - War Powers
Cokie Roberts. I know that you and most of your colleagues seem to be very unhappy about this resolution. Going forward is the least of all evils but nobody terribly happy about it. What are some of the personal decisions that are going into this? Representative Sam Gejdenson (D - Connecticut). Well I think we all start off with our first concern of the Marines and their safety. You take a look at the policy in the region. And from there you go to the constitutional issues, what role does Congress play, not just here, as you ve indicated, in Lebanon, but what happens when we get into Central America and the President decides he wants to send troops there. Will Congress have a role? I think this resolution, the President says he ll sign, no matter what disclaimers he s going to place on that afterwards, it strengthens Congress s position. It has the President of the United States for the first time, signing a document that delineates Congress s role within the War Powers Act. Now certainly he s going to disclaim that, but it does give us additional legal standing.