As the next year goes on, the official said, it is possible that more troops could leave Bosnia if there was progress on the civilian side.
After the much-delayed municipal elections, now expected by July, many of those troops could leave Bosnia.
It is known that during the 16th and 17th century numerous Catholics left Bosnia.
The issue of when American troops will leave Bosnia will not go away.
"Leaders here will not throw that away just to please the Americans, who could leave Bosnia at any moment."
Republicans would like to see the American troops leave Bosnia, even though peace there is tenuous.
The U.S. military will leave Bosnia at the end of this year.
Most (maybe none) would never have considered leaving Bosnia before the war in the former Yugoslavia.
"Did you think we were going to leave Bosnia within a year?"
Under the Administration's original plan, American troops were to have left Bosnia about a year ago.