ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512210078
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
SOURCE: Associated Press
``Gentlemen, it's time,'' the American commander said Wednesday as he took control of the mission to bring peace to Bosnia.
It certainly was.
After nearly four years of slaughter, rape and forced migrations that frustrated U.N. peacekeepers could do little to stop, NATO troops took over in Bosnia on Wednesday confident that people are ready for peace.
``The great majority of all the people in this land are saying, `Enough of this conflict!''' said U.S. Navy Adm. Leighton Smith, surrounded by fog and sandbags at the Sarajevo airport as his NATO force took command of the Bosnia mission from U.N. peacekeepers.
``They're sick of tragedy, and they are ready now to make this peace work.''
The Muslims, Croats and Serbs who have fought in Bosnia for nearly four years had often mocked the lightly armed U.N. peacekeepers, whose mission ended as NATO's began.
The no-nonsense style of the NATO command was designed to show that the new force meant business. The soldiers went straight to work, clearing blocked roads, digging in weapons and marking off territory.
At the Black Dog checkpoint in northern Bosnia, 20 miles south of the Serb stronghold of Banja Luka and the site of Croat-Serb fighting two months ago, two Croat soldiers watched as British troops cleared the front line.
Soldiers set up mortars. A bulldozer swept away a Croat barrier, widening the dirt road. Other troops set up anti-tank traps and marked the route to the new NATO checkpoint with white rope.
Croats and Serbs both cleared mines from the road and appeared impressed with the display of NATO might.
``They're more disciplined,'' said Kristijan, one the Croat fighters, comparing the NATO and U.N. troops. ``They're real soldiers.''
Ante, his buddy, agreed.
``We're safer when they're here,'' he said. ``They're better than the blue helmets.''
As Croat gunfire crackled in nearby mountains overlooking the checkpoint, Ante said: ``That's joy. They're celebrating. It means we can go home.''
Neither of the Croats would give his full name. Commanders in Bosnia often order their troops not to identify themselves to reporters.
Few of the NATO soldiers who are to enforce the peace treaty signed in Paris last week have arrived in Bosnia - only about 1,000 of the 60,000 expected.
But thousands of U.N. peacekeepers from NATO countries simply switched helmets - replacing the blue U.N. hats with ones from their own nations' armies, becoming part of the NATO mission.
LENGTH: Medium: 56 linesby CNB