December 16, 1995
Web posted at: 10:50 p.m. EST (0350 GMT)
From Correspondents Jim Clancy and Jackie Shymanski
TUZLA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (CNN) -- Fog in the skies, snow on the ground, and grumbling in the ranks. As NATO marks "G- Day," the day troops were to start hitting the ground and moving into their peacekeeping positions in Tuzla, they found that they were armed against everything but the weather.
No matter how you looked at it, things just weren't coming down the way NATO had hoped. After three tries, a lumbering C-130 disappeared into the fog above Tuzla airport, once again giving up on a landing. If the deployment is delayed, it is no doubt because of the bitter Bosnia weather. (820K QuickTime movie)
Col. Neal Patton of the U.S. Air Force has found that the weather is consuming most of his duties. "I have so many weather forecasts, my head is starting to hurt," he said.
U.S. troops are not the only ones getting headaches from the airstrip. The Russians hope to use it to bring in a dozen paratroopers Monday, paving the way for a force of about 10,000 men.
As if NATO didn't have enough trouble getting its troops deployed, some of those already on the ground said that unless they are paid more money, they just might up and quit.
Swedish troops grumble that their Nordic neighbors in NATO are getting about a third more cash than they are. Sweden is offering their volunteers a choice: sign a contract by Monday or go home. "Yes, they will quit. I don't know how many, but quite a lot will quit and go home," Sgt. Ulf Johansson said.
Swedes are part of a Nordic battalion, including the Danes and Norwegians. The battalion will provide security for U.S. armored troops coming overland from Hungary. They are also essential because of their mine-clearing capabilities. Bosnia is virtually covered with mines, and Lt. Col. Sverker Goeranson said that if the sweepers walk off the job, "we are standing still and we have to replace (them) one way or another."
NATO commanders insist that the deployment is going to happen, and on time at that. British troops are arriving in the Croatian port of Split to take up their positions in Western Bosnia. Together with the troops already in position, it could be argued that NATO already has considerable force on the ground.
However, U.S. commanders say that this isn't wartime, and there isn't good reason to risk anyone's safety. Patton says that they are not going to take chances.
The forecast calls for better weather on Sunday about midday, and if that comes true, arriving U.S. troops will find that there's plenty of room in the sleeping quarters, plenty of latrines already built and more than enough news media to greet them.
The deployment in Sarajevo has fared better than at the U.S. base of Tuzla, due, in part, to slightly better weather and more experience. "The state of readiness of troops in Sarajevo is somewhat different than Tuzla. The troops in Sarajevo have been here for four years. The command and troops have gained a lot of experience," said IFOR spokesman Col. Charles de Norimont. (325K AIFF sound or 325K WAV sound)
It is experience gained through bad weather and even tougher times under the traditional colors of the U.N. mission in Bosnia.
The new authorities began arriving in advance of the official NATO takeover. French Divisional Commander Gen. Robert Rideau met with U.N. military brass in Sarajevo to discuss the handover.
Rideau arrived on one of the few military transport planes that landed at the city airport. Despite heavy fog, the plane managed to bring in a small number of troops and various military vehicles.
Former U.N. troops will form about 25 percent of the NATO force. "We've been given the order to deploy the main force, we're still waiting for the actual transfer of authority which we suspect will be 96 hours later, sometime in the middle of next week," said NATO spokesman Maj. Simon Haselock.
British troops made the first symbolic transition in Sarajevo by repainting their vehicles from the dimming U.N. white to the olive drab of the new peace operation.
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