European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes showdown in Haiti thursday september 15,1994 Perry Scius rulers me Washington a no Concrete deadline has been set by the United states for the removal of Haiti s military leadership but one could be established in the coming Days defense Secretary William Perry said wednesday. The Pentagon chief also warned that . Forces will be in place to conduct an invasion of Haiti very soon should such an action be ordered by president Clinton.-. V. Asked whether a Concrete deadline had been set for Haiti s generals to step Down the Secretary replied no then added one has not been established at this time. That s not to suggest there might not be some change in the  the defense Secretary spoke with re porters at a photo session in his office with italian defense minister Cesare Previti. A his comments came As a tide of con Gressional opposition to . Military action continued to grow and As Clintonwes building momentum for an invasion on two fronts amassing warships in the. Caribbean and appealing to Public Opin Ion at Home Clinton scheduled a television address tonight to try to convince the american people that the restoration of democracy in Haiti by Force if necessary was a vital . Interest. ? " v. But Senate minority Leader Bob Dole said wednesday that i Don t think he can make his  asked if an invasion was inevitable anyway Dole r-kari., re plied of course. If not this week next week White House chief of staff Leon pan Etta said wednesday that the president has to look at one fundamental  is in the Security interest of this country that has to be the predominant theme and that s what he is going to stress in his address to the  but Panetta cautioned he cannot suddenly sit Back and say this has to be a popularity poll As to whether we go or  in a letter delivered to the White House wednesday the National com Mander of the 3, Amer ican legion also urged Clinton not to in Vade Haiti saying the veterans group sees no serious threat to the National Security of the United states. The administration says an invasion can be averted Only if Haiti s military ruler it. Gen. Raoul Esdras and his co Horts give up Power and allow the return of democratically elected president Jean Bertrand Aristide who was overthrown in a military coup three years ago. The . Aircraft Carrier America left the naval base at Norfolk va., on tues Day and another Carrier the Dwight d. Eisenhower was to set sail wednesday presumably for Waters off Haiti. The car a haitian boat passes in front of one of the . Warships massing in the Caribbean. Riders Are to provide a launch platform for special forces troops and marines who would Lead the takeover of Haiti s Capi Tal port a Prince. Tension mounted in port a Prince on wednesday As Low flying planes dropped american propaganda leaflets on the haitian capital and a . Warship steamed within sight of the port. Pro  militia members beat up some people trying to pick up the Leaf lets which announce the return of Haiti s elected president. Capital police chief Michel Francois was heard on the police band ordering soldiers to shoot at the air Craft As they flew Over at 2 45 a.m., according to a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity. Or by Bradley Graham Washington Post fort Bragg . More than 700 . Army paratroops jumped out of the sky Over North Carolina on tuesday evening to seize an Airfield and evacuate americans in a mock assault closely resembling How members of the 82nd air borne div would Lead an invasion of Haiti. _  ,.  in fact some soldiers at fort Bragg initially assumed they were heading to the Caribbean Island nation tuesday these kids watch can and read the papers so when the phone rang yester Day with word to get ready for a jump they thought they were going to Haiti said it. Col. Karl Horst commander of one of the two battalions participating in what officers quickly assured everybody was just another Drill. After waiting and wondering for months if they Ever will go the soldiers of the 82nd say they would prefer not to have to think about it anymore. When you have something like that hanging Over you you d rather just go ahead and do it said 1st sgt. Joseph r. Boone of the 3rd in 504th inf regt. Details of the invasion plan remain closely held by senior officers at fort Bragg who continue to review various contingencies. They worry still about How to handle crowds of haitians that could swell around . Forces. They worry about the haitian military s Large Caliper weapons which Are old and few in num Ber but dispersed and potentially lethal enough to cause . Casualties. They worry that . Troops May mistakenly shoot one another in an operation slated to involve lots of moving parts in a relatively Small area. Most of All they worry about How much Force to use enough to defend . Forces and subdue the haitian Mili tary but not so much As to kill Nobel Lig Erent haitians. There s a delicate balance in applying the appropriate amount of Force said soldiers from fort Bragg ., pass the time by playing cards atop a truck in Wilmington. The equipment was to be loaded ont ships at the North Carolina port for possible deployment to Haiti. Huil"uc"1 to it. Gen. Henry a Shelton commander of the a vol airborne corps who Proba Bly would head an invasion task Force. Pentagon officials have drafted several plans for intervention in Haiti depending on whether the military leaders there is in tally decide to leave and How much additional time . Forces will have to prepare for action. The full scale inva Sion option would require another week or two of military preparations but in an emergency1,  paratroops could de ploy from fort Bragg within 18 hours and quickly coordinate an assault with special forces units and the 1,800 marines currently off Haiti. Mindful that even sporadic gunfire from armed haitians could Down . Helicopters and that snipers could pose problems for ground troops  officials say a . Invasion Force would be Well armed with howitzers armoured vehicles Counte Battery units anti tank sys tems ac-130 gunships and other Wear sir the or tested Force size of about20,000 american service members is the optimal number sought by planners both to quell the Island and protect us forces according to sources familiar wit the planning process. But to reduce the possibility of civilian casualties and damage to civilian prop erty military planners Hope to avoid the use of certain weapons such As the a-10 Thunderbolt ii aircraft and ah-64 Apache attack helicopters whose munitions can Spray Over a broader area sol Diers at fort Bragg also have been prac timing More restrictive rules of engagement. Operationally what weighs the minds of the troops is their possible exposure to the aids virus Given the relatively High incidence of the disease in Haiti. The soldiers Are really concerned about the aids threat said borne. They talk about that More than anything else. Some Guys have gone out and even bought surgical gloves they think will give them More Protection than the gloves the   no Soldier interviewed at fort Bragg on tuesday voiced resistance to going if ordered. To the contrary Mem Bers of the 82nd Long have prided Tom selves on being among the first troops that an american president sends to a. World hot spot