Holocaust Term 'Never Again' Has New Vitality

American Jewish Congress Says that NATO Victory Sends Message That World Will No Longer Tolerate Humanitarian Horrors

Success of Campaign Disproved 'Shibboleths of Pundits'

NEW YORK, June 10 [PRNewswire] -- Declaring that NATO's victory in Kosovo "restores reassuring life and vitality" to the term "never again," the American Jewish Congress today hailed the allied triumph over Slobodan Milosevic, declaring that the military action "sends forth the powerful message that decent nations will in fact no longer tolerate ethnic cleansing, mass expulsions, wanton killing and widespread rape of a despised minority population. "

In a statement, American Jewish Congress President Jack Rosen and Executive Director Phil Baum congratulated President Clinton and allied leaders for their victory, commending them for "their resolve and courage in standing up to the shibboleths of the pundits -- that air power could never work; that NATO countries would not hold together; and that the Kosovo conflict would become a protracted quagmire like Vietnam, with no exit strategy."

Rosen and Baum called on the Europeans to "play the primary role" in the rebuilding of Kosovo, with America willingly taking on its share of the burden. Looking to future conflicts, they said that "the fact that America cannot intervene everywhere must not serve as an excuse for intervening nowhere."

Whether the U.S. should become involved would depend upon three considerations, the Jewish leaders declared: "the degree of offense presented; its relevance to our historic and traditional areas of national interest and involvement; and our logistical capacity to provide effective support."

The full text of the statement is as follows:

Since the Holocaust the term "never again" has been declining into a mere rhetorical commonplace. NATO's victory yesterday restores reassuring life and vitality to this redeeming pledge; it sends forth the powerful message that decent nations will in fact no longer tolerate ethnic cleansing, mass expulsions, wanton killing and widespread rape of a despised minority population.

President Clinton, his advisors, and the other NATO leaders must be accorded the warmest congratulations and gratitude -- not only for the results they have achieved, but for the demonstration of their resolve and courage in standing up to the shibboleths of the pundits -- that air power could never work; that NATO countries would not hold together; and that the Kosovo conflict would become a protracted quagmire like Vietnam, with no exit strategy.

These conventional cliches have all been proven wrong. The President and his allies -- with special plaudits to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac -- have faced down the concerted rhetoric of the naysayers, not to mention the brutality of Slobodan Milosevic, and have prevailed.

The world is enormously gratified by the prospect of an early return of the Kosovars to their homes, made possible by the presence of the NATO occupying troops. The defeat of Milosevic -- the indicted war criminal -- is a glowing example of the forceful impact of democratic states bound together in pursuit of high moral purpose.

Rejoicing must be tempered, however, by recognition that the Balkans are the Balkans. Achieving some kind of modus vivendi between Kosovars and Serbs will present enormous difficulties and will require huge resources of people, material and time to accomplish.

America must willingly accept its share of this burden. However, the very proximity of the Europeans to the region obliges them to play the primary role in bringing about the necessary reconstruction and rehabilitation.

The fact that America cannot intervene everywhere must not serve as an excuse for intervening nowhere. The war in Kosovo does not mean that the United States can or should step in everywhere in the world where large numbers of people are at risk. It does mean that we must recognize our moral obligation to be involved at some times in some places, depending on the degree of offense presented; its relevance to our historic and traditional areas of national interest and involvement; and our logistical capacity to provide effective support.

There may be other Kosovos, but no doubt they will be fewer than might otherwise have been the case as a result of NATO's action.

We congratulate President Clinton, Secretaries Albright and Cohen, National Security Advisor Berger and other shapers and practitioners of American policy for having the vision and the fortitude to overcome the doubters. There was much to risk in the war in Kosovo and much to lose. America persevered because of its strong commitment to meet an unmistakable moral challenge.

As a new century and new millennium dawn, no other response would have been acceptable.