• T News Digest Ktes*- Ne&an
^ ^ ^ ^ O Thursday, March 17,1988
Reagan sends 3,200 troops to Honduras
WASHINGTON — President Reagan is
sending 3,200 U.S. troops on an “emergency
deployment” exercise to southern Honduras as
a “measured response” to the reported incur
sion of Nicaraguan forces into that country, the
White House announced laic Wednesday
night.
White House spokesman Marlin Fiizwaler
said the American troops would not be de
ployed “to any area of ongoing hostilities.”
He characterized the troop movement as a
training exercise and also “a signal to the
governments and the people of Central Amer
ica.”
The White House statement was delivered
in the press room shortly after 10 p.m. after a
day-long series of meetings among Reagan’s
national security advisers. In the statement,
Fitz water did not say how long the forces would
remain in Central America.
Fitzwater said Reagan ordered the action in
response to a “cross-border incursion by
Sandinista armed forces into Honduras from
Nicaragua.
“And at the request of the government of
Honduras, the president has ordered the imme
diate deployment of an infantry brigade task
force consisting of two battalions of the 82nd
Airborne Division form Fort Bragg, N.C., two
battalions from the 7th Infantry Division at Fort
Ord, Calif., plus supporting units.”
He said they were being sent to an air force
base in Honduras for “an emergency deploy
mcnt readiness exercise.”
Even before the president’s decision was
announced, criticism arose.
Rep. Edward Markcy, D-Mass., said, “This
is not the first time the president has made use
of his military authority after he lost a vote on
the Contras. President Reagan’s decision to
send the 82nd Airborne to Honduras has more
todo with politics than with American security.
It is an irresponsible involvement of American
troops on the conflict in Central America and an
unwise escalation of tensions in that region.”
Honduran troops surround Nicaraguan soldiers
Honduran troops on Wednesday surrounded
about 2,000 Nicaraguan soldiers who entered
, the country chasing Contra rebels, military
intelligence sources told The Associated
Press.
They said the Sandinista troops had crossed
about 3 miles into the Honduran border prov
ince of Olancho, east of the capital of
Tegucigalpa, and had remained in the area for
24 hours.
One official, who asked not to be identified,
said the Nicaraguan troops “have been sur
rounded by our army... and wcarconly waiting
superior orders to enter into action.”
“There really is tension and there is crisis,
however we are acting with prudence but with
strength in these affairs, and we hope that
everything will stabilize in the next two days,”
he said.
The Honduran military went on alert, the
sources said, speaking on condition of anonym
ity.
Foreign Minister Carlos Lopez Contreras
said that Honduras president, Jose Azcono
Hoyo, contacted Nicaraguan President Daniel
Ortega to demand the withdrawal of the troops.
Ortega did not confirm or deny the Reagan
administration's claims that Nicaraguan sol
diers crossed into Honduras, but said there was
“cross fire from Honduran territory against our
forces.”
But Ortega said Wednesday that Sandinisla
troops pushed back Contra rebels into Hondu
ran territory and fighting was raging along the
border.
The Defense Ministry earlier denied that its
troops invaded Honduras during an attack on
Contras, and government radio put out an ur
gent call for Nicaraguans to be on alert against
a U.S. invasion.
Ortega said the U.S.-backed Contra fighters
were receiving logistical support and evacu
ation from Chinook helicopters owned by the
United States.
Referring to early reports that the Reagan
administration was considering sending mili
tary support to Honduras, Ortega said: “This is
the most serious threat in recent years. We arc
calling on the Nicaraguan public to be alert, to
be in combat readiness, ready to repel, resist,
defeat whatever aggression from the United
States.”
State-run Voice of Nicaragua radio said
there were reports from the Atlantic coastal city
of Puerto Cabczas, 250 miles cast of Managua,
that unidentified airplanes were seen and that
residents feared the city would be bombed.
It called on Nicaraguans to “maintain a state
of alert . . . because we can’t discount the
possibility that President Reagan will invade
Nicaragua in defense of his mercenaries.”
Soldiers loyal to Noriega defeat coup attempt
PANAMA CITY, Panama— Soldiers tried
to overthrow Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega on
Wednesday but loyal troops prevailed and he
emerged from army headquarters after sounds
of battle, calling the gunshots “kisses.”
Thousands of people went into the streets to
protest Noriega’s continued rule. It was the
largest outpouring of discontent since civilian
opponents began trying last summer to oust the
general as chief of the Panama Defense Forces,
which include the military and police.
The Defense Forces said the coup attempt
had been staged by officers apparently led by
Col. Leonidas Macias, head of the national
police force. He was arrested along with three
majors and a captain, as were an unspecified
number of civilians, the communique said.
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The coup attempt was the first indication of
trouble within Noriega’s Defense Forces, who
had maintained a solid front through nine
months of civil unrest caused by accusations
that he was involved in crimes ranging from
drug trafficking to political assassination. He
has been indicted on drug charges in Florida.
Washington has but pressure on Noriega,
and President Reagan said Tuesday the United
Stales wants him “out of there.” Sanctions such 1
as freezing Panamanian accounts in U.S. banks I
and withholding Panama Canal fees have ere- §
ated a cash shortage that makes it impossible to I
pay public employees. 1
Flaming barricades blocked hundreds of 1
streets on the third day of the latest public I
protest. By midafternoon, police and military
units began reappearing in the city. ■
Poindexter, North indicted I
WASHINGTON — President Reagan’s
former national security adviser, John M. Poin
dexter, and fired White House aide Lt. Col.
Oliver L. North were indicted Wednesday
along with two arms dealers on charges they
conspired to divert Iranian arms sales profits to
the Nicaraguan Contras.
The long-awaited 23-count indictment,
which also named retired Air Force Maj. Gen.
Richard V. Sccord and his business partner,
Albert Hakim, said the four men “deceitfully
and without legal authorization’’ organized,
directed and concealed “a program to continue
funding of and logistical and other support for
military and paramilitary operations in Nicara
gua by the Contras” at a time U.S. law barred
such action.
In a story “RHA execs may gel paid,” (DN,
March 11), it stated incorrectly that the Resi
dence Hall Association discussed a proposal to
pay its executives. Although the bill to pay
executives was proposed, it was not discussed
according to Ken Libby, speaker of the RHA
senate. However, one senator informed a DN
reporter that the bill was discussed.
In the article “Union Board OKs kiosks in
campus union, library” (DN March 16) it was
stated incorrectly that changes in appropriation
criteria for University Program Council’s
Funds Allocations Committee must next be
approved by the NU Board of Regents. The next
step in the process is approval by Jim Griesen,
vice chancellor for student affairs.
In the article “New UNL project to empha
size liberal arts,” (DN, March 14), it was mcor
rectiy stated that no students joined curriculum
change committees. Student involvement was
low, but existed. A seventh subcommittee on
Services and Advising was also formed.
Also, the general education mathematics
course mentioned in the article is designed for
those students who ordinarily take no univer
sity courses in mathematics. It will be a 200
level course that will introduce mathematical
concepts by examples from modem society.
Departments will first review proposed
course models. If approved by the departments,
the courses will be approved ihe normal way.
Outside the U.S. Courthouse, Iran-Contra
independent counsel Lawrence E. Walsh told
reporters the investigation was continuing hut
declined to say whether there would be any
more criminal charges brought in the ease.
“The grand jury is not finished,” Walsh said.
“This is simply an interim report.”
North, who was fired from his job as a
National Security council aide in late. 19X6,
said after the indictment: “I did not commit any
crime. 1 intend to light thcallegalionsof wrong
doing for as long as necessary.”
His voice breaking, North said that the
months ahead will be difficult. But, he added;
“Nonetheless, I can asure your, I will never give
up, we will win, I just cannot tell you how
soon.”
NelSaskan
Editor Mike Rellley
472-1766
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Chairman Don Johnson,
472-3611
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