ACCESSION NUMBER:313469

FILE ID:POL502

DATE:11/19/93

TITLE:CONGRESSIONAL REPORT, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19 (11/19/93)

TEXT:*93111902.POL

CONGRESSIONAL REPORT, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19



(Halperin)  (390)

SOME SENATORS ASSAIL HALPERIN NOMINATION

Some members of the Senate Armed Services Committee November 19 severely

criticized President Clinton's nomination of Morton Halperin to be

assistant secretary of defense for democracy and peacekeeping, alleging

that some of the nominee's opinions are not in the interest of U.S.

national security.



During his confirmation hearing before the committee, Halperin asserted that

"force will still be the ultimate arbiter of international disputes," while

cautioning that "we must be sure that the problem (at stake) can be solved

by armed force."



"We must size and equip our forces to fight such wars," he said, explaining

however that his task would be to "guard against the tendency to see our

armed forces as a solution to every problem and every crisis of the

post-Cold War era."



Senator David Boren, who is not a member of the committee, attended the

hearing to voice strong support for Halperin, who he said is motivated by

devotion to "human rights and individual liberty."  Two other Democrats,

Senators Daniel Moynihan and Joseph Biden, also have expressed support for

Halperin's nomination.



But Republican panel members criticized Halperin's past writings, accusing

him of fostering opinions that would not make him a good caretaker of

national security.  Senator John McCain read quotations from Halperin's

writings, including assertions that the former Soviet Union never violated

1nternational law in its relations with African countries, that covert

intelligence operations are always illegal and anti-democratic, and that

the international community should determine whether or not the United

States can defend an ally.



Senator Strom Thurmond accused the Clinton administration of failing to

provide proper and complete answers to Senate questions about Halperin.



"In the case of Mr. Halperin there is a compelling prima facie case that he

is unsuited for any position in the Pentagon," Thurmond declared.



"I have deep concerns about his positions on security policy," said

Thurmond.  "Some of the recommendations he has given to the secretary of

defense" while employed at the Pentagon "are dangerous to the nation's

interests and to the lives of American servicemen and women."



Halperin's statements during the Cold War "suggest that the U.S. government,

not the Soviet empire, was the enemy of peace and freedom," said Thurmond.



The committee is expected to vote on the Halperin nomination next week.

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