Bill Clinton: “Well, the level of American involvement in this NATO action, I again will say, there is no expectation--in fact, we have…”

“Well, the level of American involvement in this NATO action, I again will say, there is no expectation--in fact, we have made it quite clear that this will not involve American ground forces. From the beginning of the administration, we have said that the American forces could only be used, if at all, in the implementation of an agreement that had been freely reached as a part of a broader united force in which, since the problem is in Europe, the American forces would be in the minority. So there will be no American ground troops involved in this action. I can only say to you what General Shalikashvili has said to me and to the leaders of Congress, which is, there is no such thing as a risk- free air operation. I don't want to mislead the American people on that. We have, regrettably, fine young American pilots who die every year in training operations. So there is no such thing as a risk-free operation. However, we believe that the air defenses are sufficiently rudimentary that the risks are minimal. That is the conclusion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”