Mark A. Kilmer (the weblog)

Joe Biden is running around the campaign trail telling the world that he saved the day on Bosnia.

But, despite the bravado, Biden was not a key player in the legislation that ultimately forced Bill Clinton to lift an arms embargo imposed by the United Nations on Bosnian Muslims fighting the Serbs, according to congressional officials involved in the issue and a review of Biden’s speeches and voting record.

In his autobiography, “Promises to Keep,” Biden says that the pivotal Senate vote came “nearly three years after I called for the plan” to unilaterally lift the embargo. But the charge actually was led by then-Senate Minority Leader Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.) and Democratic Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.), who has since become an independent.

“His views were consistent with what we were doing,” said Stephen G. Rademaker, then a House Republican aide who initially drafted the legislation and brought it to Dole’s attention. “But I never regarded him as a leader in the effort.”

Certainly there are plenty of embellishments on the campaign trail, but Biden is lying and let’s hope the rock is being kicked over.

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a political enigma variation

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