Bosnians are paying their respects to former Republican senator Bob Dole, who is considered a true friend of Bosnia as he advocated for lifting the arms embargo imposed on the country during the war in the 1990s.
Dole’s efforts were key to lifting the arms embargo in Bosnia at a time when the administration of former US President Bill Clinton avoided dealing with the issue. Clinton was not in favour of the US unilaterally lifting the embargo without support from NATO allies and wanted to avoid sending US troops to Bosnia, so his policy was to leave the issue to the European allies.
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Dole, however, believed that the incompetence of the Europeans only contributed to prolonging the Bosnian war.
“They are not asking us to die for Bosnia, they are asking us to give them a chance to defend themselves,” he argued in 1995 during the debate which ended with the US Senate voting to lift the arms embargo.
Dole passed away on Sunday, at the age of 98.
Among the many Bosnians paying who paid their respects to Dole was Bosniak political leader and Deputy Speaker of the BiH House of Peoples, Bakir Izetbegovic.
“Due to his uncompromising, consistent and energetic efforts to lift the arms embargo, preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH, end the bloody war and overcome the legacy of war, and fight for justice, truth and the noblest human values, he will remain in the lasting memory of all those in they carry our homeland in their hearts “, he wrote on Twitter.
“It was with great sadness that we learned of Senator Bob Dole’s passing this morning. Our most heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Senator Elizabeth Dole and their daughter, Robin. The U.S. lost one of their greats today, and BiH one of their great friends,” the Congress of Bosniaks of North America posted.
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