OCR Text |
Show The Salt Lake Tribune OPINION Friday, July 19, 1996 U.S. and Saudis: Uneasy Association . CARL ROWAN come a puppet of the U.S., “the Satan,” are loath to let best fo protect the ruling family’s Americans do anything that re- how best to ensure that Saudioil motely appears to be a breach of will always be available for U.S. purchase. Pri Sultan insists Saudi sovereignty. Saudi insistence on showing that they are in commandof everything may have caused the recent deaths of a lot of Americans. So from the U.S. embassy in Riyadh to the corridors of Congress NORTH AMERICA SYNDICATE WASHINGTON — Two terror- here, Americanz are saying that Saudi arrogance, and fear of Moslem , have left Americans as sitting ducks for Islamic bombers. The U.S. now wants to moveits soldiers to areas of Saudi Arabia the United States that imperils both Saudi security and the U.S. supply of Saudioil. Saudi and U.S. officials are with a seemingly unbridgeable rift over what us. intelligence and military officials may doto ensure the safety of the 5,000 or more American troops and the many American civilian ae whoare in the Saudi The8: Seudis, fearful of revoiu- tionaries claiming they have be- where they would be less yulnerable to the terrorists, who telephonealmost incessantly to boast that they are about to strike again. But housing for U.S. troops feudal grip on Saudi Arabia, and that the country is secure — unless it fails into a deadly embrace by the United States. U.S. offi- cials think the ruling ily and the huge deposits of petroleum are in danger without strong ele- ments of defense by U.S.intelligence and military units. Obviously, both countries have grave national interests in the current oe with the Saudis making the Butit’s difficult to imagine a day in the future when there will not be U.S. troops protecting both is provided by the Saudi govern- the country and its oil. And there ment which, through Defense Minister Prince Sultan, waffles back and forth on the U.S. prefer- won't be a day when theterrorists won't seek ways to exploit the Saudi-American impasse. ence for moving U.S. soldiers It appears that no one is ever going to be happy aboutthis situa- away from Dhahran.In his latest statement, Sultan said he’s agree- able. The underlying problem is how Missiles Showed, But Were They Smart? tion other than those who hate both Uncle Sam and the Saudi royal family. Storm forthe past fouryears, and RICK HOROWITZ Grading New Senate Majority Leader MARY MCGRORY i. fected. They included one member of the Senate Republican hierarchy, Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, R-N.Y., chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Byall accounts, Lott did not reproach or threaten them for breaking ranks. The Republicans’ premier connoisseur of pressure UNIVERSALPRESS SYNDICATE WASHINGTON — The most closely watched train on Capitol Hill is Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., the new Senate majority leader. He has dropped clues — some encouraging, some not. Lottlosthisfirst legislative test but at least there was nothing exacting or petty in his conduct. Mostreluctantly, he brought up one of the Democrats’ pet election-year projects, an increase in the minimum wage. The Democrats had nagged for months, and threatened to attach the increase to any bills brought to the Senate floor. The Republieans hoped to defang it with an amendment by Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., which would have exempted certain small business- es. Despite 2 major push by the leadership, five Republicans de- for not going along is Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Ore., who did not vote with his party through the entire Vietnam War, and whose lone no led to the defeat of the balancedbudget amendment and subsequent Republican wrath: Hatfield’s chal ape of the pete Appr threatened. Anotherdissenter was Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo., a comparatively new convert to the Republican Party. He had no trouble. Although the Senate's only ponytail calls himself “a wind-blown free spirit,” in con- trast to the “well-manicured”and perfectly coiffed Lott, they get along fine. Campbell finds Lott quite different from Dole, because he suggests Dole’s life was the Senate and “Lott has much more enthusiasm about things that are notdirectly related to the Senate.” He notes with approval that Lott is overruns. “Smart” wi the bass of the four singing senators, who are moving around on apg 30 thet smart. They may have cost billions the Washington party circuit. What makes Campbell, who rides a motorcycle to work, a fan of this new leader is Lott’s accep- more than their “dumb” counterparts, but when it came down to actual performance (where the payload hit the road, so to speak), tanceof an invitation to join the motorcycle rally planned for the Republican convention. ride with his son. what they've just concluded would put a twist in the colon of any military contractor worth his MILWAUKEE — “What are He will you, some kind of smart guy?” It all depends, doesn’t it? Do they mean “smart” the way the dictionary means “smart,” which is to say: “mentally alert, bright, knowledgeable, shrewd’? Or do they mean ‘smart’ the way the Pentagon means “smart,” which is to say: something . . . less. There's a chance — mentally alert, bright, knowledgeable and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., sees the greatest difference between Dole and Lott the fact that “Dole was running for president and Lott is not — his business is the Senate’s business. Andatleast he gives us someencouragement that it isn’t going to there wasn't much difference be- tween them. They had the sexy names — Tomahawk missiles, Stealth fighters, “laser-guided” bombs — and the swoony press coverage. They just didn't do what they were supposed to do. And the Pentagon knewit. They knew it during the war, the GAO says, when they hyped the smart set to the skies to mess shrewd as you are, of course — with Iraqi morale on the ground. And they knewit after the war, that you missed this one in your morning paper. That's OK; it took a few daysfor the story to pene- coming, to keep the moneytrain rolling. “Like the F-117? You'll “smart” weapons, the pride of the bomb-and-boom crowd during the Allthat talk aboutpinpointprecision from the Pentagon? From Persian Gulf War, weren't all the contractors who built the consistent with the best available the only source of news in his of- they were cracked up to be. Not even close. The war ended back in 1991, yes indeed, but the sifters have been busy ever since — especial- minimum wagevote that ‘a Mack truck has been removed from the middle of the Senate floor.” An- General Accounting Office. The GAO analysts, nonpartisan to a fare-thee-well, have been study- be all the way.” Other Democrats complain that Lott does not have the most valuable asset of his predecessor, the Fort Knox quality of his word. Lott makes agreements that he has to go back on because some trate this skull, too: It seems that member of his staff or caucus tells him he can’t do what he has promised to do. Lott is philosophical aee feat. His press secretary, Irbey — who Lott says caete fice — said the morningafter the _ly, it turns out, thesifters of the other traffic problem solved. ing the airborne slice of Desert Simantov’s Summer too, when the hype just kept on love the B-2! Send cash.” things? “Overstated,” the GAO discovered. Also “misleading, in- data, or unverifiable.” But you saw it with your very own eyes, didn't you? Every shot right down some Baghdad air shaft, right through some desert turret! Chalk it up to highly selec- tive editing. There were some bulls-eyes; there were also plenty of misses. We just never saw the misses. Turns out, too, that the high- tech sensors aboardthehigh-tech aircraft — electro-optical-laserinfrared micro-somethings — couldn't sense very well. Clouds tripped them up. Also rain and fog and smoke. Also high humid- ity. Also sand. Andthen, of course, there was the little matter of definitions. The Air Force brass bragging to Congress, for instance, that the Stealth fighter had an 80 percent success rate on its bombing runs? It all depends on what you mean by “suecess.”” What the folks doing the bragging meant by “success” was that the fighters had managed to launch a bomb or a missile. Actually hitting anything useful? Irrelevant. Weilsure, if you want to nitpick If you want to nitpick, the Stealth’s success rate was closer to 40 percent. But that’s not the way the Pentagon figuredit. It’s kind of like giving Ken Griffey full credit for just swinging at the ball, Michael Jordan full credit for just flinging it up toward the hoop somewhere. Forget about connecting. Ridiculous, right? But the Pentagon has different standards from therest of us. Or maybe not that different. “Eighty percent of success,” WoodyAllen usedto say, “is just showing up.” Smart guy. 5750 OFF; SAVINGS SPREE! MOTOROLA DYNASTY Portabie Cellular Phone EXAMPLE OF SAVINGS Indo Empire Persian Nain Tibetan 3x5 ¢36600 918400 —4.2x6.3 s200e0791 3000° xo _g170000 985090 Lotus Design 9.11x7.10 geae0d $2400 Pakistan Tabriz 5.2x8.7 $924.00 946200 * 100-minutetalk time * Built-in AC/DC charger + 32-number memot + Only 9.5 oz. with battery and 100’s More SIMANTOV ORIENTAL Your Cellular PhoneBill With Purchase Of Any Cellular Phone? Expert Cleaning and Repair Portable Cellular Phone With mail f ‘heck payable to their cellular sorvice provider. Offer does: ratinclude Aer s GoPhone and may excludeselect rate plans. See store for details. * Built-in 2-hour fast charger + 90-minutetalk time + Weighsonly8.5 oz. *11-number memory Ply Your Uae rT ds Ty eed Ay Now in progress BIRKENSTOCK. Sparta Reg. 64.95/49.96 Theoriginal comfort shoe.” # Prices may vay depending oncar rate planselected. Certain celular telephone company feesand resctions ma connectionwith service. vation. Certain Crcut Cy fes may apply in connection withequipment purchase, New | | activationthrough Cireit City forminimum period required a & $300 pent wil res e will be hi fer wthoat ectivetion throughCircuit ity authorized cellular telephons company «Customers receive a 50%discount of of hom ne area airtime minutes (minutes above the 30in the plan) on @ new Advantage 30 Pian or above, Customers with AT&T long distance tor oa cellular and residential service receive an additional 3 monthsof 50% discounts for a total of 6 months. Requires a 12 mon service agreement. Certain restrictions may apply. Offer ends 7/31/96, See store for details. | | | | PRICES EFFECTIVE THRU 7/25/96 | Eurrede © CROSSROADS PLAZA 538-0723 Pisa Reg. 67.95/48.96 COTTONWOOD MALL 277-4404 SOUTH TOWNE CENTER, 853-8283 LAYTON HILLS MALL 497-9807 iain Boe STOHOUE Mahan peSans lgararsienatcrsorseorete (= irre FOBT SRIGE 1340 E. Park Centre Dr. Sat Lake Ch (801)562-9866 pat 360 West 1300 South Orem (@01)229-2252 she (801)399-0084 (801)969-3700 |