Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 20, 1993 TAG: 9310200152
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The move reflected the administration's effort to shift the focus in Somalia toward pursuing a political settlement following the deaths of 18 Americans in the disastrous Ranger raid on Aidid loyalists Oct. 3.
"Right now we are engaging in a political process to see how we can resolve our mission in Somalia," Clinton told reporters at the White House. "So right now we're in a stand-down position."
At the Pentagon, spokeswoman Kathleen deLaski said a Ranger task force of about 750 men would be withdrawn "in the next couple of days." Officials declined to provide a full breakdown, but the withdrawal apparently includes about 600 members of the 75th Ranger Regiment and about 150 support forces such as members of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
Sixteen of the 18 Americans who died in the Oct. 3 raid were members of the Ranger task force.
DeLaski said about 6,300 U.S. troops remain in Somalia, of which about 2,700 are assigned to the U.N. command providing support such as logistical expertise.
Clinton said the time was right to pull out the Rangers because two Marine Expeditionary Units, totaling about 3,600 men with helicopters and armored vehicles, had arrived off the Somali coast aboard Navy ships. Clinton suggested the Marines could substitute for the Rangers if necessary, although deLaski said there were no plans to bring the Marines ashore, barring an emergency.
Clinton's announcement came two days after the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Madeleine Albright, publicly confirmed that U.S. soldiers in Somalia had stopped trying to capture Aidid. DeLaski noted, though, that Aidid remains wanted by the United Nations for a June attack in Mogadishu in which 24 Pakistani troops were killed.
"There is not an active effort to search for members of the Aidid apparatus," deLaski said.
Clinton sent an initial contingent of 400 Army Rangers to Mogadishu on Aug. 24 in response to a series of bloody attacks on Americans for which Aidid or his loyalists were blamed. Although the administration did not say so publicly at the time, the Rangers' mission was to capture the elusive Aidid.
That goal was never achieved, and the launching of the Ranger mission itself now stands out as a turning point in U.S. military involvement in Somalia. The deployment triggered a fresh burst of questions and criticisms from the public on whether the administration had a plan for getting out.
Also, Defense Secretary Les Aspin has cited the Ranger deployment in explaining why he denied the requests of U.S. commanders in Somalia for more armor to protect American forces. The lack of armor figured in the outcome of the October Ranger raid, which in turn led Clinton to announce four days later that he was beefing up U.S. forces in Somalia while setting a March 31 date for full withdrawal.
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by CNB