Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 6, 1993 TAG: 9310060138
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
President Clinton met with his top national security advisers - including the commander for the region, Marine Gen. Joseph Hoar - to review the situation, especially increased casualties suffered by U.S. forces.
A senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said no decisions were made at the session - which lasted just under two hours - and that the meeting would resume early today.
Clinton asked participants to run down options for him to mull over, the official said.
"The president was clearly disturbed by the state of developments in Mogadishu," the Somali capital, the official said.
"I don't know if he feels let down by his own people . . . but he was clearly disturbed," he added.
The official, speaking on grounds of anonymity, said the overall goal remained the same: to draw down U.S. troops in Somalia without a "return to the kind of chaos and anarchy" that existed there before U.N. troops began their humanitarian mission.
Defense Secretary Les Aspin, Secretary of State Warren Christopher and White House adviser David Gergen briefed more than 150 House and Senate members but failed to placate scores of Democrats and Republicans.
Meanwhile, a senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Hoar's Central Command had requested armored vehicles for the Somalia operation several weeks ago but that the request had been turned down by Aspin.
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by CNB