ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 16, 1996 TAG: 9611180054
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
About 8,500 U.S. troops are expected to face the dangers of peacekeeping in Bosnia for at least another year and a half.
President Clinton announced the Bosnian commitment Friday and also confirmed that as many as 5,000 U.S. troops may be headed for eastern Zaire to help rescue more than 1million refugees from a civil war there.
``The United States cannot and should not try to solve every problem in the world,'' Clinton said, ``but when our interests are clear, our values are at stake - where we can make a difference - we must act and we must lead. Clearly Bosnia is such an example.''
On Africa, Clinton insisted that ``the world's most powerful nation must not turn its back on so many desperate people and so many innocent children.''
The decision to stay in Bosnia underscores a large danger of American military involvements around the world. Once committed, U.S. troops are frequently difficult to withdraw.
Clinton promised just a year ago that 14,000 U.S. troops would be out of Bosnia by next month. But in recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that such a withdrawal was likely to lead to a renewal of the bloody civil war there.
A Republican in Congress hit Clinton on that point Friday.
``The problem is, it's easy to get in but tough to get out,'' said Sen. Dan Coats of Indiana, a persistent administration critic.
``I've not questioned the fact that the Balkans is a major concern,'' Coats said. ``I've questioned whether the president has been forthright with the American people about the costs and the risks of it and limiting our commitment to one year.''
Coats also said he was not yet convinced that a multinational relief force was needed to intervene in the refugee crisis in Zaire.
``That's another case where the president is too quick to commit our troops without having all the facts,'' Coats said. ``It's just another example of his seat-of-the-pants, reactive foreign policy.''
Clinton said the 50,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping force that was sent to Bosnia last December ``has succeeded'' in preserving a fragile peace, but that a smaller force now must stay on to secure that peace while the Bosnian people rebuild their society.
``Quite frankly, rebuilding the fabric of Bosnia's economy and political life is taking longer than anticipated,'' Clinton said. While Bosnians rebuild their courts, police and democratic institutions, ``for a time they will need the stability, the confidence that only an outside security force can provide.''
Clinton said the roughly 8,500 U.S. troops would join a new NATO force of some 30,000 to police the peace. They will be empowered to defend themselves, he said.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Chart by AP.by CNB