THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 9, 1995 TAG: 9506090515
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: HEARST NEWSPAPERS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
President Clinton ordered an exclusively American team to rescue the missing U.S. fighter pilot in Bosnia in order to avoid the kind of confusion that cost American lives in a U.N.-led operation in Somalia, officials said Thursday.
The U.S.-only operation enabled rescuers to ``go in, do a job quickly and get out quickly,'' White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry said.
By avoiding NATO entanglements, Clinton opted for speed, secrecy and streamlined command, officials said.
Clinton said Thursday that he endorsed the military commanders' decision to carry out the rescue even after it was determined that the mission could not be completed under cover of darkness.
Air Force Capt. Scott F. O'Grady ``had survived for six days - and six days was long enough,'' Clinton declared standing before American flags rippling in the breeze outside the White House.
The president, shortly after calling O'Grady ``an American hero,'' telephoned the pilot aboard the Norfolk-based Kearsarge at 2:37 p.m. EDT Thursday and spoke for about 10 minutes, Deputy White House Press Secretary Mary Ellen Glenn said.
Clinton invited O'Grady to the White House.
``The country was on pins and needles but you knew what you were doing,'' Clinton told O'Grady, ``The whole country is elated.''
O'Grady told Clinton that his rescuers ``were the real heroes,'' Glenn recounted. As O'Grady and the president prepared to end their conversation, O'Grady said: ``I would just like to say one thing: The United States is the greatest country in the world. God bless America.''
The president replied: ``Amen.''
McCurry declined to speculate on any U.S. plans for retaliation.
KEYWORDS: RESCUE U.S. AIR FORCE BOSNIA U.S. NAVY
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