July 22, 1995

Uniting after weeks of disarray, the United States, Britain and France today pledged a broad and sustained campaign of air attacks if the Bosnian Serbs attack Gorazde, an enclave in eastern Bosnia that the United Nations has declared a "safe area." After a conference of 16 countries involved in the Bosnian war, Secretary of State Warren Christopher said, "The Bosnian Serb leaders are now on notice that an attack against Gorazde will be met by substantial and decisive air power."

The Clinton Administration's military plans call for immediate NATO air strikes if Bosnian Serb forces mass for an attack on the United Nations-designated "safe area" of Gorazde. Senior Administration officials said today that bombing would be used first against advancing Serbian troops, their communications and their supplies. If this failed, American officials envisage a quickly expanding series of air attacks against military targets in other parts of Bosnia. Destruction of the Bosnian Serb air defenses by NATO bombers would be a prelude to any operation.

Congressional hearings on the Branch Davidian raids focused today on warnings that the Federal authorities did not heed, including the forebodings of a Texas social worker who feared that a Federal siege would surely fulfill the sect leader's vision of Armageddon. Joyce Sparks of the Texas Department of Child Protective Services told a joint hearing of two House subcommittees investigating the Federal raids that the Davidians' leader, David Koresh, had told her of his vision.

Planned Parenthood Strife At a time when some of the main issues on its agenda are being addressed in Congress, Planned Parenthood is in the midst of an internal upheaval that has led to the resignation of its president. Page 6. A Budget Cut Revisited The Senate approved a $16.4 billion package of cuts to the current budget, and it appeared likely that the plan would avoid the Presidential veto that a similar package received earlier this year. Page 8. Instinct for Issues As he has in the past, Gov. Pete Wilson of California has jumped on an ascending issue early, this time affirmative action in the state university system. Page 7. School Bells . . . in July? While debates rage over everything from student burnout to the need to run air-conditioners, two Trenton schools began an experiment with year-round classes. Page 21.

On the eve of his 72d birthday, Senator Bob Dole today issued a pronouncement by his doctors that he is in excellent health, an effort by the Dole campaign to disarm rivals who insinuate that he is too old to be President. Although release of medical documentation has become routine among Presidential candidates, it was highly unusual for a campaign to issue it so early. But Mr. Dole's rivals for the Republican nomination have begun to raise the issue of his age, however obliquely, and he is eager to put it to rest.