Clinton retreating from gay ban pledge NATIONAL WASH INGTON (AH - Undur prvs stiro, t lit* Whit <• House ln^nn positioning Presi dent Clinton on Wednesday to retreat from his promise to com pletely lift thn ban on homosex unls in the military "I think Ini n>< t»g»t/.es that it's very difficult, that than? is not support from Congress for a corn plain lifting of the ban.” Whitn House prass s(>i rotary I )«»** Dee Myers said White House officials said they warn awaiting rat ommaiidalions from Dufunsii Secretary l.es Aspm. who has been struggling to product) a compromise between Clinton's promise and intense opposition from thn Pen tagon and Congress to lifting the ban. The issue has been a major politii al headache for Clinton, distrai ling attention from his ecu nornii plans and requiring him to defend a stand on on issue that has bitterly divided Americans. Moving < nutlousiy inward a dm.ision. iho While House kepi its distance from a reported com promise proposal from the Pen tagon to allow homosexuals to serve in the military only if they keep their sexual orientation pri vate That reported compromise would ban military personnel from det taring they are homo sexuals or from engaging in homosexual conduct anywhere It also would lalxd homosexual (unduct as inconsistent with mil itary servic e C.ny activists said they would re|o« t any language almtil homo sexuality or homosexual < onduct being inconsistent with military service. "That's totally unai.i eptahle,” said Tim M< Foeley. executive director of the Human Rights Campaign Fund. "That pist has to go "And we believe that people who (.onduct themselves accord ing to the rules should not be dis missed because they're gay. no mutter how people find out that they're gay." he said. Me Fee ley said he could a