Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 4, 1993 TAG: 9305040199
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From The Washington Post and The Houston Chronicle
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
A deployment of roughly 12,000 combat troops from the 1st Armored Division based in Germany would quickly follow, according to U.S. military sources.
The plan, while not yet approved by President Clinton or other NATO political leaders, has been reviewed by senior U.S. national security officials and is the latest allied thinking on the size and makeup of the potential peacekeeping mission, according to a senior administration official.
NATO planners estimate that nearly 60,000 multinational troops would be required to enforce a peace agreement among Serb, Croat and Muslim factions. Roughly one-third would come from U.S. forces based mostly in Europe.
Although the plan does not envision direct combat, it anticipates some hostilities and would allow aggressive use of force to counter attacks by factional fighters on multinational troops, sources said.
NATO military officials generally have been ahead of their member governments in planning for a possible peacekeeping mission. U.S. officials emphasized Monday that the peacekeeping plan would not go into effect until the Bosnian Serbs approve and follow a peace agreement their parliament is to vote on Wednesday.
The United States continues to hold out the threat of bombing raids against Serb military targets inside Bosnia, with Secretary of State Warren Christopher spoke with European leaders to drum up support for that option.
"Before I agree to put one American soldier there, I will obviously speak not only to you but directly to the American people about it," Clinton told reporters.
The White House and Pentagon denied an NBC News report that the United States already has Special Forces troops in Bosnia gathering intelligence and selecting targets.
by CNB