CLINTON: U.S. WON'T GET INVOLVED IN WAR

CARTAGENA, Colombia — President Clinton, ignoring a bomb scare, pledged
political and financial support for Colombia's anti-drug effort Wednesday
but said the United States "is not going to get into a shooting war" with
drug traffickers.

The eight-hour visit to this port city followed Clinton's approval last
week of a $1.3 billion aid package to help in Colombia's war against rebels
and drug cartels.

The aid has drawn sharp protests, including clashes Wednesday in the
capital, Bogota, between police and thousands of workers and students. The
package is the largest military assistance to any Latin American country
since the civil war in El Salvador in the 1980s.

"A condition of this aid is that we are not going to get into a shooting
war," Clinton said.

"This is not Vietnam, neither is it Yankee imperialism," he said.

The plan, however, will involve U.S. pilots and military advisers training
Colombian forces for anti-drug operations. It also will give Colombia 60
U.S. helicopters, including 18 modern Blackhawks.

The aid is part of Colombian President Andres Pastrana's $7.4 billion plan
to fight trafficking and end decades of civil war. Ninety percent of the
cocaine smuggled into the United States is believed to have come from Colombia.

Meanwhile Wednesday, police said they had arrested two people trying to
plant a 4.4-pound bomb about 400 yards from the House of Justice that
Clinton was to visit .

Secret Service officials said only explosive materials had been found.
National Police spokesman Carlos Perdomo said the device was not designed
to cause injury but rather to create chaos and spread propaganda for
Colombia's leftist rebels. He said two rebels were seen planting the device.

(SIDEBAR)

Components of Colombian assistance package, as compiled by the
Congressional Research Service and the State Department:

16 Black Hawk and 30 Huey helicopters and training for Colombian army
counternarcotics battalions: $403.7 million.

Assistance for Colombian National Police, including two Black Hawk and 12
Huey helicopters: $115.6 million. Interdiction efforts, including radar,
aircraft and airfield upgrades: $113 million Development of alternatives to
drug economy (voluntary eradication programs, local government assistance):
$58.5 million.

Assistance for displaced persons: $47.5 million. Human rights: $53.5
million. Administration of Justice: $65.5 million.

Peace process: $3 million. Funding for Customs and other U.S. agencies:
$132.3 million.

Funding for foreign bases in Ecuador, Aruba and Curacao used for U.S. drug
surveillance flights: $116.5 million.

Counternarcotics and interdiction support for Andean region: $55 million.
KMAX helicopters for Andean region: $32 million. Regional alternative
economic development: $93 million.