Perry Visits Bosnia Force, Urges Discipline, Patience

Defense Secretary William J. Perry joined U.S. soldiers in the mud and freezing rain Thursday to deliver a Thanksgiving message urging discipline and patience in their unfinished mission in Bosnia.

“This is not exactly the first place you want to spend your Thanksgiving, and it’s not my first choice either,” Perry, making a farewell visit to the troops, told some of the 850 Army soldiers based in tents here, about 12 miles from Tuzla. “I’m here to say thank you. You are doing the work of the Lord.”

The soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division stood in an icy rain to hear the defense secretary.

In addition to addressing the troops, Perry--who has told President Clinton he will not be at the Pentagon’s helm in the president’s second term--held top-level meetings with U.S. and Russian generals to discuss the mission of NATO’s new 31,000-member international force.

The new group, which succeeds a North Atlantic Treaty Organization peacekeeping force of nearly twice that size, will take over Dec. 20 and includes about 8,500 U.S. troops.

“This is going to be a difficult task. It’s not fighting in a war. But maintaining the security situation will demand discipline,” Perry said.

He praised the soldiers, who came to Bosnia in October to protect departing U.S. troops. He warned the young soldiers that they will be required to remain as part of the alliance’s new “stabilization force.”

The 69-year-old defense secretary, who appeared to be using the holiday trip as a farewell visit, joined U.S. and Russian soldiers for a traditional Thanksgiving feast before moving on to visit troops in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Japan.

Two years ago on Thanksgiving he visited U.S. troops sent to help restore democracy in Haiti.