| Show Bush's Failure to Aid Kurds Shiites Tarnishes America's Yellow Ribbons Chicago Tribune Service WASHINGTON — For good reason President Bush is squirming defensively about his tolerance of the slaughter of Kurds and Shiites in Iraq Beyond the debate about whether he did or didn't encourage them to revolt against Saddam Hussein it is indisputable that after justifying the US attacks on Iraq in on high moral grounds he is now putting those grounds on the back burner dealing with the tragic aftermath The White House obviously hopes that the tardy dispatch of humanitarian aid will paper over its callous hands-of- f policy at a time the United States as a conquering force could have stayed the vengeance of Saddam's defeated but clearly not decimated military machine To argue at this point that extending the terms of to the use of all airthe cease-fir- e craft tanks and other heavy armament against civilian populations would have been meddling in the internal affairs of another country is preposterous on its face since the United States already occupies an estimated 20 percent of Iraqi territory When it served Bush's purpose early on he did not hesitate to cast American actions in purely moral terms For months before the Arneri s t Germond ge b 1 mid-Janua- - k Jules - and that is for the Iraqi military and the Iraqi people to take matters into their own hands and force Saddam Hussein the dictator to step down" Two days later when asked at Kennebunkport Is it a goal to topple Saddam?" Bush replied: "It's the goaL The goals have been spelled out by me and by the coalition partners I and the goals remain the same wouldn't weep if they put him Witcover : ' L u AY f4f4if ' N10 lois - - T i ' IIP i: 11574:7fA 421 d1 a " A 4 A "vit 0 i ' 410 diror-oe-4- '" FRom C - my -- T rt I 0 " 41 :: V1- II 0t fii :7- ior -- ii - Ektiliso01 USA CO0 cGe pAci Nr: ftak4f: kg - vtfticr istil II - - -- 01 ID ak - ' fil 4 " - to i1 s fp-1112 paquit logIcw'rJ 1 it— 41( d 1 - 411 A j - - MIMm- V IA ! aside" On March 1 the president when asked whether he thought Saddam might be overthrown said: "In my 4tt own view I've always said that it 4 sit° would be --- that the Iraqi people should put him aside" And on March 13 he observed that Iraq's can offensive in January he was use of helicopters to suppress insurto convince the Ameri"has got to be resolved berections can people of the Justification for ofwe're going to have any permafore fensive use of US troops — until he nence of Yet he did any cease-fire-" set aside the economic and political when Gen Norman nothing rationales and began casting Saddam Schwartitopf in his own words got Adolf Hitler in a Middle East mo- "suckered" into permitting such use rality play That very comparison in- under the ruse that it was needed dicated that Saddam had to be merely for official transportation in ousted and if Bush did not say in so a country whose bridge structure many words that the United States had been demolished would help to get rid of him be left a In another of the war's ironies the very strong impression to that effect heavy television coverage of the On Feb 15 for example the presi highly sophisticated American air dent said of the war: "There's moth assaults that shortened the war and hard-presse- 4 77 er way for the bloodshed to stop et Jack W -N "-- A99 The Salt Lake Tribune Friday April 12 1991 r i--- 00N - 're ' - - - i- zire d But failure to anticipate the horrible consequences of his actions and words on the Iraqi populace does not change the reality of what is now happening in Iraq The United States does not have to take sides in a civil war in the country to put the squeeze on Saddam to desist even now when so much of the damage has been done At a minimum the White Rouse's handling of the situation has been a s fiasco from Bush responding to questions on the sent Bush soaring in the polls is now being undercut by nightly television of the desperate attempts by hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians to escape Saddam's slaughter The scenes are taking some of the bloom off the yellow-ribbo- n parades at home and off Bush's luster as the warring moralist as well The president is said to be concerned that a continued massive American presence in the Gulf will likewise undercut the notion that it was put there for limited objectives slaughter as he finished a round of golf in Florida to his insistence that after reviewing every statement its: had made "there was never an imptia cation that the United States wouick use force beyond the objective which we so beautifully achieve47 Maybe there was no implication Ot: his part of the use of force to °vet throw Saddam But there was no sug gestion either that the victorious aWls would stand by and let the van- quished forces slaughter their owah people in the aftermath public-relation- It 't1 Rectgans Prove White House Ilanky-Panky- : Truly Bipartisan Recreational Activity- Ilhe Public Forum Tribune Readers' Opinions Help Homeless Ours is a boastful nation claiming to be the wealthiest and most powerful in the world We are too busy bragging to solve the horrible situation of the homeless women and children on the streets and in the alleys MELDA RENWLLE Brigham City Must Save Canyon I would like to respond to Edward D Hanks (Forum March 29) garding the Salt Lake County reCom- mission's decisions to charge a user fee in Mill Creek Canyon The issue was one of the major planks of my campaign The canyon's degradation and threatened closing because of inadequate funds is reality The pollution of Mill Creek is the highest of all adjacent streams in the valley This is because of erosion Last year government entities spent $3000 on the total upkeep of Mill Creek Canyon That is barely enough to clean out the trash and fix a few broken toilets What's worse is that next year there will even be an increase of the almost 700000 visitors to the canyon Something must be done to save the canyon That is why I am for a fee that will help restore the canyon and keep it open So are my two commission colleagues Jim Bradley and Mike Stewart The policy that is developed by the commission will be fair have citizen input exempt those who have daily or organized canyon use be a policy that is sensitive to all users It will be unpopular to charge a user fee to save the canyon but I must show leadership not salesmanship I am also for increased federal responsibility in the canyon but I know until Washington changes its attitude toward the Forest Service nothing will be done Salt Lake County must take some leadership RANDY HORIUCHI Salt Lake County Commissioner Forum Rules Public Forum letters must be submitted exclusively to The Tribune and bear writer's full name signature address and telephone number Names must be printed on political letters but may be withheld for good reason on others Writers are limited to one letter of 300 words or less every 14 days Preference will be given to typewritten (double spaced) letters permitting use of the writer's true name All letters are subject to condensation Mail to the Public Forum The Salt Lake Tribune PO Box 867 Salt Lake city Utah 84110 Light:Rail for U I must be dreaming In reading the county commissioners' light rail proposal (Tribune March 30) I was amazed to find that they had overlooked the University of Utah as a destination for the new transportation system instead preferrktg to route commuters to the Larry H Miller Jazz Arena now under con- struction Current university reports estimate 45000 daily trips to the univer- sity the University Hospital and Primary Children's Medical Center as well as a growing shortage of parking facilities Rather than address this burgeoning need for commuter services the county commissioners have chosen to save the sports fans walk through downthe three-bloc- k town Why not route the light rail to the university instead and force 'very-bod- y to walk through downtown? That way distinguished visitors will see hundreds of people milling about on the streets and think something is actually happening there ROBERT R GOODWIN Salt Lake City Olympic Crapshoot In the Olympic referendum barely half of the people in Utah who voted on the issue expressed the wish that the state gamble taxpayers' money to fund an Olympic bid With that marginal support the governor the mayor of Salt Lake City the Chamber of Commerce and others have pursued this flimflam at top speed as though there were a unanimous mandate The cost of the bid whether or not successful is huge — $50 million to $100 million to show good faith Showing good faith is the method used by confidence men in the execution of the "pigeon drop" which scam can result in prosecution for fraud Those engaged in such a practice say "Show us some money and we will bring you more" The costs thus far are exorbitant: hand-fashione- d leather-boun- d pro- motional brochures expenses for 26 members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to visit Salt Lake City expenses for the city council and the mayor to travel to London a huge expensive speed-skatin- g oval to be shoehorned into a residential neighborhood regardless of the objections of citizens there blow-haradvertising and the projected luge ran and ski jump If the bid is successful there is an commitment to the IOC of up-fro$200 million and a total requirement of funds approaching $1 billion which figure represents about 30 percent of Utab's $35 billion yearly budget There is no guarantee of any d nt financial return It was reported recently that one of out every nine Utah children goes to bed hungry at night Correction of this situation and others would seem to be incentive enough to direct funds some place besides a crap-sho- ot DONALD M STROMQUIST Salt Lake City Why Are So Many Americans Cheering Return of Troops From Gulf War? By Myron Beckenstein For The Baltimore Evening Sun BALTIMORE — Of course much of it is the joy Americans feel in almost all the GIs getting home safely and the pride Americans feel in the job they did but there seems to be more to it than that in the way Americans have responded to welcoming their Persian Gulf troops home Letter writers to The Baltimore Evening Sun have compared the greeting not only to that given Vietnam War returnees but also to those given after World War II One man wrote that he had fought for years in battle after battle moving from one hardship to another On his return he celebrations no received no city-habig welcomes just 35 cents to see him the final step home The writers say they feel the Gulf War troops did a fine job and are deserving of a pat on the back but aren't Americans going overboard they wonder They have a point People who were away from home a matter of weeks or possibly a few months people who never saw a day of combat are being welcomed as conquering heroes While they may have been ready to act bravely for their country most never actually did If heroism were based merely on intentions we'd all qualify Much of the reaction can be traced to finally having a real victory It has been a long time Korea Vietnam The Mayaguez rescue atDesert tempt in 1975 The One rescue attempt in 1980 The pretentious that Grenada and Panama were finely executed battles and wonderful victories But Iraq was different Iraq supposedly had a formidable army It supposedly was prepared to play both hard-to-gand dirty The relief when this didn't happen the euphoria at the well conceived and execut ll ill-fat- Chicago Tribune Service — My conservative friend Grump was peering in the window of the bookstore where the are displayed His scowl was even stormier than usual He suddenly gripped his walking stick like a baseball bat and raised it above his head I asked him what he intended to do "I'm thinking of smashing this window" he shouted That's against the law and you have always been a man "True" he said lowering the stick "But something should be done This is slanderous scurrilous outrageous and perfidious" I assume that you're referring to the new and shocking and wildly popular book by Kitty Kelley "Don't even mention that vile creature's name in my presence A transom-snoope- r shameless keyhole-peepe- r rumormonger spreader of malicious lies contortions and distortions She is a disgrace to the pro fession of journalism" But you've always said every journalist is a disgrace "True but she's even more disgraceful than the rest of you She should be tried for treason for writing smutty lies about my commander in chief and our first lady" He's no longer your commander in chief Besides how do you know they were smutty lies? Maybe it's the smutty truth Even in the best of families smutty things can happen "Doesn't matter Even if it were the truth — which I consider unthinkable and incomprehensible — such matters are best left in the laundry hamper where they belong It is unconscionable to muck about the private lives of this nation's most beloved public figures" You may be right On the other hand I recall your uninhibited glee ed battle plan and the relief over the quickness of the ground battle took on an added dimension against this plane at a multitude of places they probably won't even have the pleasure of a permanent welcoming band States look wonderful? Finally But there seems to be more One difference between the Gulf War and the Vietnam War is that the Gulf War had a distinct ending date Vietnam just sort of ground on and ground down There was no date when victory was declared so Americans could synchronize their celebrations Also unlike World War II Vietnam troops did not sign on for the duration They served a couple of years and then returned to civilian life But the war was still on still seeking that light at the end of the never-endin- g tunnel and there was no real reason for celebration By the time the war finally whimpered into history most of the troops already were home There was no reason to celebrate the last few who were pulled out The American involvement was over but the war still was going on World War II did have a definite closing date two in fact one in Europe one in the Pacific The first troops home after those dates probatreatment as bly got the did a few select others But after that I suspect the celebrations dwindled and the troops who were not among the lucky first few those who came home months later mostly got the when they all flowed through a few ports when sea travel was the mode Another factor could be the conduct of the troops themselves The reputation of those from Vietnam was tainted by reports of drugs and fragging Americans like their heroes less sullied Revisionists a few decades down the road may come to the conclusion that the Gulf War actually was very unpopular Witness the way two recent movies fared in the Academy Award process a sure indicator of popular feeling One of the most decorated films was one that pictured the army as a collection of mostly fools or villains Totally overlooked was one that pictured the military as valiant and brave The first film was "Dances with Wolves" Most of the soldiers and the military itself are portrayed as lasciviously brutal and so that they couldn't tell wrong from right The only good soldier for most of the movie was the one who went against the system If this isn't what is? The other film was "Memphis Belle" the story of a bomber crew in World War II So moving was this film that ot least in the showing that I saw the audience did not make its usual rush to the exit as the The End sign popped on but stayed seated to see who played each of the main characters That is a rare tribute to a film But it received no Academy Award nominations Another indication of the bias against the military — at least to people who try to figure out what things were like from the disadvantage point of the future background Didn't the United red-carp- 35-ce- nt treatment In this regard the gulf veterans are likely to be no exception We are seeing the first ones back getting the big hello The others will be received less spectacularly Even joyous celebrating of the same event becomes boring after a while It's not like a baseball team that can provide a fresh reason for celebrating each day Since they are arriving back by Af'øøø"'"E‘' ' I Mike- -AI v 0 - Otis ! N 41 too" Well speaking of hypocrisy one might argue that when the nation'et first couple talk to the nation about' about family values goodness and virtue and then it is alleged that anotherengaged "Don't say it I warn you again am capable of taking action to deLI fend their good names Of course know what this is all about It is nothing but a media plot" That isn't what you said when Gar' Hart's indiscretions were made pub-- 7 lit As I recall you said that when reporters spied on Hart ruining hig presidential hopes it was the meth a's finest hour "And it was The man was a notori-- ous womanizer Would we want someone with that background in the t 14: White House?" But Kitty Kelley says that in Hollywood days Ronny was one oti the most notorious "You should both be tried for tre ar' son" Wait I'm not saying it's a big deal But if we're going to know about Democrats such as Hart and Kennedy and even FDR why not make keyhole peeping a bipartisan activity? 4 "It doesn't matter People arenT going to believe this trashy book anye :ow way" You're probably right It's only go-ing to sell at least 750000 copies hardcover and another couple or' million in paperback "I think I will smash that windos0after all" line" Jr - "That's an entirely different matter Why the man was a hypocrite A ':Th "Your (4A i'')e!) J WHEN THE NEED ARISES too The New I erAc c VA Freedom vs - : 400c) - Then let me remind you of your absolute delight and hilarity when embarrassing disclosures were made about the late Martin Luther King '' r Royko ' when disclosures were made about the enthusiastic bedroom habits of Jack Kennedy In fact you smacked your lips over every nasty tidbit about the entire Kennedy clan and you still do "That's not true I never said one critical word about the eldest brother who died in the war Of course if he had lived he would have surely been a rogue too That's the way those people are" Yes but you sneer and leer about the Jack Kennedy stories "And why not? The man was an utter cad The public had a right to know that he was no gentleman Imagine carrying on that way in the White House itself With the taxpayers paying for the bedsheets Shocking Well Kitty Kelley says that Frank Sinatra regularly slipped in through the back entrance of the White House and spent long private afternoons with "Don't finish that sentence I warn you I'm prepared to use force to defend the honor of the first lady" Former first lady All right I won't go into the juicy stuff about Sinatra About how it is supposed to have started years ago in California "You are walking a thin danger er CLASSIFIED ADS "'f': HELP! World Order" t 1 1M When you need a plumber or plumbing supplies check the services section of the Classified columns for phone numand bers addresses I hours Personal services are vital when you need them and you'll have current information from Classified t4 ii-t4- 0 that was able to greet the arrivals close-minde- m - best-selle- WmmomiXMa minister mind you a man of the cloth preaching about goodness and the Ten Commandments Yet he inAnr dulged in sinful hanky-pank- y remember that was not revealed ?it-sotrashy journalist It was leakedt from the private official secret filet of the beloved J Edgar Hoover hinzt self Of course I wasn't surprised about King's behavior and hypocrt--- 4 sy That's the way those people are- - CHICAGO le 4'''Ir $1 Col Bo Gritz Presents: IT1 CALL FREEDOM Green (Ret) Bo Gritz is the Beret Commander of the Vietnam era (speaking at Whole event $500 8:30 am and 3:00 pm) Also Speaking: Estace Muffins "What is the New Lt Col most-decorat- World Order" (9:00 am) - ed "Know Your Enemy" (10:30 am) and Howard Freeman "How Sheep Can Survive in Wolf Territory" (1:00 pm) 0 When: Saturday April 13 8:30 pm Where: Kingsbury Hall U of U campus SLC Cy Minett OP a Mow 1 OUNAIrr ANIANTk-A- am-5:3- SLC: 143 South Main Sak Lake Co LAae Sponsored by the American Study Group 7 Provo: Logan: 576-934- 0 374-571- 752-586- I 6 LIIIIMEMMSOMMIMPIEMMENIONI d anti-militar- y Myron Beekenstein is an editorial writer for the Evening Sun : : '"ram'""-k- ' Ck1 - oetty e7le- " - 4kA 1:k 1 I 11 ': I ---- ' tker? (et i 4 t i t i 1"oe 4 ) AN dfo tl ' 4:- - t 1 - t1 1A ' '''"it 1 I 1'1'111— I: k t 1 4 i t t tilik-k7fitiI- 114 1 k 1 ‘ ''' Ltolv - V77') -- '01t k: i 'tit tIvit-'sr-- 3 — A 'i 74 ' i - )4 t ti ' ''' N - t 1 -i- ' tr-- -7 -1 i k - P l'''' '''' t s i r--- - ' twa1 1 — - 1 1 it 1-- p l'Nr'''''''''14t ' ' I 1' e AK isN "It A — t : 1--:- —I 4 - - - : ' 1 o : |
