Clinton Steps Up His Support for Military Action in Bosnia

Bill Clinton stiffened his support for military action against the fighting in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, suggesting air strikes on Serbian strongholds to end “mass, deliberate, systematic extermination” of civilians.

The Democratic presidential nominee equated the situation to Nazi Germany’s slaughter of the Jews during World War II and went beyond his previous statements on the use of military power in the region. He said he will seek to coordinate U.N. and U.S. military forces to stop the Serbs from killing innocent people.

The State Department reported this week that the Serbs have set up detention centers, but it said the Administration has been unable to confirm reports of systematic killing of Muslims and Croats.

“History has shown us that you can’t allow the mass extermination of people and just sit by and watch it happen,” Clinton said at a rally held inside the East St. Louis High gymnasium, where he and running mate Al Gore kicked off the Democratic ticket’s second bus tour of the country.

“I think the United Nations, with the United States’ support, needs to consider doing whatever it takes to stop the slaughter of civilians, to investigate under international law whether there have been any human rights violations,” Clinton said to the cheers of about 1,000 people in attendance. “We may have to use military force. I would begin with air power against the Serbs to try to restore the basic conditions of humanity.”

Taking the microphone from Clinton, Gore urged President Bush to lead the way. He said European nations have responded timidly “to this mass murder” and that both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate are asking the Administration, “Why don’t you do something about this because the world can’t stand by” while the killing goes on.

“You know the world stood by in silence once before when this happened,” Gore said, also invoking the memory of the Holocaust. “The world should have learned a lesson from that. The United States is the leader of the world. President Bush ought to provide some leadership on this issue.”

The Long Island (N.Y.) newspaper Newsday reported in recent days that the Serbs are systematically torturing and killing Muslims and Croats. Basing its report on interviews with survivors, Newsday said that thousands of civilians have been shipped in sealed boxcars to the centers, where they are held without sanitation or adequate food, and where many have been killed by firing squads or by throat-slitting.

Previously, Clinton has expressed support for military action to stop Serbian shelling of civilians and to protect U.N. relief actions in the war-torn region.

But his comments Wednesday were more militant.